THE BENEFITS OF ARBITRATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 97, 15 July 1927, Page 13

THE BENEFITS OF ARBITRATION

ABOLITION OPPOSED POSSIBILITY OF CONFLICTS 'T'HE abolition of the Arbitration * Court would tend toward the creation of industrial disturbances. The system should not be jettisoned before a careful investigation has been made. Dr. H. Belshaw, professor of economics at Auckland University College, addressing the Economic Society last, evening, favoured dealing cautiously with any proposal to dispense with the Arbitration Court. Though strikes and lock-outs did occur now while the court was in existence, it was not correct to assume that these were due to it. and would pass when it was abolished. Withont arbitration, industrial disputes would be a straight-out fight between the two sides. Other systems of control might suit some industries, but not the majority of industries. Mr. A. G. Lunn, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, said that in his opinion fixing wages over a long period was one of the chier causes of unemployment. No one wished wages to drop below an amount that would provide a decent standard of living, he said, but only what was earned could be paid in wages. Professor H. W. Segar expressed a doubt whether the rises In wages granted in several industries last year were justifiable. Dr. Belshaw stilted that employment had been guaranteed over a number of years In an effort to stabilise the United States, and that seemed to conditions in certain industries in be working successfully.