THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1921, Page 5

THE ARBITRATION COURT.

ACTION AT AUCKLAND. 4 ♦ A CRISIS REACHED. J WORKERS TO MAKE A STAND, By Telegraph.—Preu Association. Auckland, Last Night". The appointment of a successor to Mr< McCullough on the Arbitration Court was considered at the Trades Hialli by union secretaries representing 30 Auckland unions. A telegram waa received from Mr. Reardon stating that an opinion had been expressed in Wellington that he should not attend the Auckland sitting of the Court, and asking for the opinion of the unions on the matter. It was decided that a reply be eent to Mr. Reardon advising him not to attend. It was also reaolved to advise all unions having business before tbe Court at the next sitting to stay avrtty; until the present dispute is settled. It wae further decided to ask Mr. McCullough to reconsider hie decision nob, to seek re-election to the Court, It agreed by those present to urge the unions to nominate Mr. McCullough, it being felt that to nominate him again w&s the best way for unionists to show their, confidence in him,, and their resentment of the action of the Court. The opinion was expressed that ft crisis had been reached in the history industrial arbitration in this and that it was for the workers to takpi a stand now and show that, unless tbeJ pronouncements made by the COUQI could be depended on, it was time far M Change to be made.

‘ MR. REARDON’S POSITION. STATUS OF THE ALLIANCE. A NEW CONTENTION. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. M. J. Reardon, who has been tem-. porarily summoned to fill the position 0$ the workers’ representative on the Arbitration Court bench pending the appointment of a member in the place oft Mr. J. A McCullough, lias, it is said, been placed in an awkward position by» the resolution passed by the Alliance oft Labor recommending him not to fill the? vacancy. From inquiries made in Labor circles it t is apparent that opinion is divided upon the question as to whether Labor should recognise the Arbitration Courfi as 11 legal medium through which industrial disputes may be settled. In some official quarters it is maintained that thd Alliance of Labor, which claims to repre« sent the majority of workers in the various industries throughout the Domini ion, is not regarded as thoroughly representative of the workers.

When approached, Mr. Reardon stated that he required some days in winch to turn over in his mind the peculiar potH tion in which he found h.mselL Before arriving at a decision he said he had to eorisider whether it was the opin' ion of the majority of the employees that the Arbitration Court should not be recognised. He hau been summoned to appear as the workers’ deputy at the Auckland sittings of the Court next week, and he therefore had only a few days in which to arrive at a decision. The Alliance of Labor has recommended organised labor not to nominate an--1 other person as workers’ representative in the Arbitration Court. If this recommendation is adopted by the industrial bodies, it is understood the Government can still appoint a representative to fill the vacancy. Mt. McCullough’s resignation, as result of a difference of opinion in rei gard to a, reduction of the wages oft shearers and shed hands, has wide interest, not alone in labor circteflj The development has given rise to the; argument as to whether the of the three members of the Court is most satisfactory. The contention that' the judge alone should adjudicate upon differences that arise between employer and employee in the fixation of wages and general working conditions is voiced by not a few.

mr. McCullough

.Christchurch, Last Night. At a conference of representatives of local unions and Labor members of

Parliament this afternoon, the following resolution was carried: —That this conference heartily endorses the decisioni of the Wellington conference Jin nominH ating Mr. McCullough as the worker*" 1 representative on the Arbitration Court,l and requests all unions throughout thei Dominion to nominate ‘Mr. McCuflougll| as a protest against the recent of the Arbitration Court.