CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9190, 12 September 1908, Page 5

CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION BILL.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, September 11. The Minister of Labour communicated the following particulars of alterations made in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill by theLaLour Bills Committee:—Part 1, Clau-e 3, the words "have been in employ" have been struck nut, the reason being that a strike has been declared not a continuous offence. Clause 4 is amended to maKe a single enployer liable for a lock-out. Ane v clausa (4 A) is inserted providing that when a majority of members of an industrial union are g'.i'.ty of an offence under the Act the union and not individuals shall be proxoded against in the first instance. A strike or lock-out under the amended Bill can only take place where an award or industrial agreement is in force. A strike is now made a continuous offence in so fax as aiding or abetting is concerned. The penalty clause inflictine three months' imprisonment for striking without three weeks' notice in industries connected with the necessaries of life has been struck out and a, fine not exceeding £25 substituted and the notice is reduced to fourteen days. In the clause providing for the power of suspension a proviso is inserted to limit the operation thereof against those offending instead of operating against the whole industry. The clause relating to the tracing of a man who has not paid his fine is deleted and a clause inserted enabling the Court to attach his wages above £1 a week in the case of a single man, and £2 in the the case of a married man. The old Conciliation Boards are abolished and two Conciliation Commissionersone for the North and the other for the South IslanJ—appointed for a term of three years at a fixed annunl salary. On a dispute arising the Commissioner proceeds to the place of dispute, and first goon into the matter alone to ascertain the merits thereof. He then calls upon the unions and employers to appoint three assessors. The Commissioners hav-j oo vote and no power to make an award. There must be pure conciliation, and only where an agreement n a point exists can sufh a point be embodied in an award drawn up by the Commissioner; such award to have all the force of an award made hy the Arbitration Court. If a majority of employers and workers enaaged in an industry affected fail to sign an agreement within a month of an award the case goes automatically to the Arbitration Court, which only deals with such matters as have not been settled. In his report to the Court the Commissioner is required to give an indication whether a settlement was prevented by unreasonable action on either side. The number of members of a union necessary for registration has betn reduced from 25 to 15, and the number of employers for registration of an association has been reduced from seven to three. Section 57, provid ing for naeds and exertion wage has been struck out. Section 60, referring to expert assessors, has also been struck out. Power is to be given to the Court to call for assessors if it wishes. A worker is a , person who works for hire or reward.