ARBITRATION AND CONCILIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 233, 25 September 1908, Page 2

ARBITRATION AND CONCILIATION.

% l'ele{jra i ,h.-.Pre ss Association. \\ eilingtuu, L* H Ajj,,,, re.'.-ardl 11 n',' mov ' d " ««»• clause a «a, Hgaidwg ii le nppoiiument of concilia Hon comini-sioiicrs, the chief feature 2 wnch „-as sub,mi o „ 1, which ll t« anoint "such person' as he thinks (not exceeding JOU , j., number, „> co.icuiuuoi, J.JZo"

file Minister explained that t,„. new sub-section was proposed to meet tie criticism voiced by several mcmbe'ij that commissioners would be badequale.

Messrs. Ell und Izard objected to tho proposed limitation, us cases might arise wiieu the Dominion reijuircd that the Government should be iree to appoint as many commissioners as might be necessary. ilr. Millar said the Government would have no hesitation in asking for power to appoint more tluui four commissioners, if they thought necessary. The number of commissioners should not be multiplied indefinitely, as salaries would resemble those of members of the Court of Arbitration. U e Ji a . agreed with a suggestion by Jlr Baiinie to appoint special temporary concilH "tors, because parties to* disputes should know who would be chairman of a Conciliation Council before entering upon a dispute. After further discussion, Uhe Minister said he was prepared to insert ft new subsection providing that in wiy case where on a dispute arising tire conciliation commissioner should not be available immediately, the Government should have pon-er to appoint a special conciliator at a fee to be determined by the regulations. Replying to Mr. Barclay, who objected to appointing untried men for threa years, .Mr. Millar said it would be impossible to get high-class men such as he had in his minds' eye unless tliev wore paid high snlnries, and assured of some fixity of tenure.

Mr. Barclay's proposal was rejected on the voices.

On the suggestion of various members, title Minister agreed to strike out sub-section 7, declaring that every commissioner shall exercise powers of jurisdiction "within such industrial dig.

tricts as are for the time being assigned to him by the Governor Dy warrant."

Replying to Dr. Chappie, Mr. Millar said it would be inadvisable to tic down commissioner* to special industries, though naturally t>he commissioner best qualified to deal with a particular dispute would lie tent to deal with it. On the motion of Mr Guinness, words were inserted in Mr. Millar's new subsection regarding the appointment of special acting commissioners, declaring that such temporary oliicers shall during their term of appointment have the same powers nnd" exercise the same jurisdiction as permanent commiPsimers. Tlie now elatiae as amended wap agreed to. .Mr. Millar moved a new clause 24a providing that judgment recovered at the suit of any person for a penalty, under this Act shall not until and unless it is fully satisfied be a bar to any! other action at a suit of any plaintiff for the recovery of the same penalty. This was agreed to. Mr. Millar moved a new clause 40a, providing that commissioners may at any time after application has been made to him under section 27, and whether assessors have been appointed o* not, take such steps as be deemed advisable, whether by way of a coherence between applicants and respond-. eats or otherwise with intent to sceuM a voluntnry retirement of the dispute. This was agreed to. The Minister moved another new, clause, defining a worker to mean "any person of any age of either sex employed by any employer to do any, work for hire or reward." .This wiib agreed to. Mr. Millar moved a new clause, amending section 1)2 of the principal Act by the insertion of a paragraph in, subsection 1 giving the Aroitratioa Court power to amend the provisions of award where such amendment wo» deemed necessary or advisable by reason of any alteration of circumstances i:i which the award was made or u matters to which it relates. This wa'» to meet eases as in the flax industry, where industrial values went down and men were thrown out of work, or as in the curriers' industry, where the market improved afterwards. This was agreed to. A new eta use exempting from thei operatiou of an award employers who are not employing workers for direct •r indirect gain, was carried by 47 to, 17.

A new sub-section exempting local bodies from the operation of the clause was also agreed to. The House adjourned at 5.30 and resumed at 7.30. Mr. Hogg moved a new clause that; the cities of Wellington, Christchurdij Dunedin and Auckland shall be teupanate industrial districts, arguing', that thu conditions in the country differed radically from those prevaling iu tliu cities. -Air. MJIInr declined to accept tlie amendment, contending that to obtain uniformity of industrial conditions and to prevent unfair competition large industrial districts were Indispensable.

Mr. Hogg's motion was negatived by 40 to 23.

Mr. Hcrrics moved a new clause mil king the provisions Of this Act and the principal Act to apply to worker*. under the Crown who are unclassified. The clause was rejected by 48 to 17. Dr. Chappie moved a new clause providing for a bonus wage in a court award to any eluss of workers "holding certificates of attendance at technical school classes whiting to a trade or, i industry in whieh a worker may be engaged. The motion was lost by 48 to 9. Mr. I'obind moved a new clause providing that if any assessor being a worker is dismissed from his employment, the employer may be called upon to show that the dismissal was not on account of such appointment. Mr. Millar declined to accept the clause, but proposed to meet its object byamending section 100 of the principal Act by adding after the word "agreement" the words "or who has acted n» an assessor."

Mr. Poland dissented from this, as clause 101) had been a dead letter. Mr. Poland's motion was rejected by 42 to 10.

Mr. Guinness moved to amend the Act to compel the Court to hear all proceedings in connection with a dispute in the industrial district in wJiich. such dispute arose. The motion was rejected by 34 V> 20, nnd- the Bill re- 1 ported with amendments. '