NATIONAL REGISTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 July 1939, Page 5

NATIONAL REGISTER

SETTLEMENT REACHED IN AUSTRALIA

UNIONS WITHDRAW THREAT

OF BOYCOTT.

SOME ASSURANCES GIVEN BY GOVERNMENT.

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright MELBOURNE, July 25. A settlement between the Australian Council of Trades [ 'iiions and Ihe federal Government of the national register dispute was reached today, as a result of which the threatened union boycott of the register is to be dropped.

The decision was reached at a conference hold today between the Prime Minister. Mr Menzies, and the Labour Advisory Committee of the Australian Council of Trades Unions. Later the full executive of the council adopted it. The lifting of the boycott will now have to go through a formal process of adoption by each State trades and labour council.

According to an official statement, the Government has undertaken to allow members of Parliament opportunities of introducing legislative amendments to the National Register Act, though it did not promise support to such amendments. Mr Menzies also gave an assurance that none of the Government's powers under the Act will be used to impair industrial awards and labour conditions in connection with the Government or private factories.

This is the Government’s answer to the union’s fears that the powers would be used in a time of emergency to incorporate private 'factories by regulation into the Commonwealth service, thus depriving employees of the protection of the awards.

The Federal Parliamentary Labour leader, Mr Curtin, was a strong advocate of the settlement, urging that the union's efforts be concentrated in obtaining the objective by constitutional means instead of flouting the law by the boycott. Since the dispute began he has maintained with persistence that the boycott would enable Mi-Men-zies to go to the country on a law-and-order issue.

Mr Curtin's appeal today swayed even the most militant objectors to the national register.

EXTENSION OF TIME.

FOR FILLING IN CARDS.

MELBOURNE, July 25

Following a further conference today with the Labour leader Mr Curtin, and the Federal Labour Advisory Committee, the Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, has. agreed to extend the date for filling in the national register cards from July 29 to August 10