EL—ll

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corporate (and which for that reason are not so exempted by the above-mentioned section), the Court held that, where such clubs are not carried on for the purposes of pecuniary gain, it would, in exercise of its discretionary powers, decline to join them as parties to an award. (Book of Awards, Vol. xv, p. 631.) . Upon the outbreak of the European war the. Court suggested that, as it was impossible to forecast what effect the war might have upon the commerce and industries of the Dominion, it would be unwise, if not improper, to attempt to make new awards purporting to regulate industries under conditions of which it had had no previous experience. Representative meetings of employers and of labour organizations endorsed this view, and it was adopted by the Court. In March, 1915, however, application was made by various industrial unions that the Court should resume the hearing of industrial disputes. The evidence before the Court showed that the Dominion was, after eight months of the war, singularly free from any ill effects resulting therefrom, although some industries were suffering from its effects. The Court therefore granted the application, holding that, as the Court had been established by law for the express purpose of hearing and determining industrial disputes, it could not deny suitors access to it when approached by the method prescribed by law, and that the business of the Court should therefore proceed as usual. The Court intimated, however, that unions must not expect a sympathetic hearing from the Court if they attempted to impose fresh burdens upon those industries which could not reasonably be expected to bear them. In accordance with the Court's decision the business of the Court has been substantially resumed. (Labour Journal, April, 1915.) An action was taken 'in the Supreme Court under the Declaratory Judgments Act by the Greymouth Wharf Labourers' Industrial Union of Workers (as plaintiff) against the Greymouth Port Waterside Workers' Industrial Union of Workers and certain shipping companies (as defendants). The facts were that the plaintiff union in 1913 obtained an award to which the defendant shipping companies were parties. The award provided for preference of employment to members of the plaintiff union. The union, however, in 1913 engaged in an unlawful strike, and in consequence the defendant union was registered in the same industry, afterwards entering into an " Industrial Agreement " with the defendant shipping companies giving preference to its members. The Court was asked to decide (1) whether the plaintiff union's award was still in force notwithstanding the strike; and (2), if so, did it, by virtue of section 90 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, remain in force until a new award was duly made or an industria agreement entered into ; and (3) was it binding on the parties notwithstanding that an industrial agreement had been entered into by defendant union in the same industry and locality ; (4) was it lawful for the defendant companies to employ workers not members of plaintiff union in preference to members ? The Court hold that this was a case in which the Supreme Court should not adjudicate on the questions put, because to do so would improperly trench, on the special jurisdiction created by the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act; that it was open for the plaintiff union to have the questions raised and dealt with by the simple process provided by the Act — i.e., by application for enforcement of its award in the Magistrate's Court or the Court of Arbitration. The case was dismissed. (Labour Journal, October, 1914.) No further proceedings on the lines suggested by the Supreme Court yet appear to have been institutedUnder the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act, 1914, provision is made that at any time whilst His Majesty is at war with any foreign Prince or State the Governor may from time to time, by Order in Council, if such a course is necessary in the public interest, modify or suspend, wholly or partially, and subject to such conditions as he thinks fit, all or any of the provisions of any industrial award or industrial agreement under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. In pursuance of applications made and agreed upon in that behalf by the parties, certain provisions of the Wellington Bookbinders, Paper-rulers, and Cutters' award, the Auckland Grocers' Assistants and Drivers' award, and the New Zealand Typographical award, relating to weekly employment and the payment of a full weekly wage, were suspended on condition that actual time worked should, be paid for at award rates, together with minor conditions. Registration of Industrial Unions and Associations. The work in connection with the registration of industrial unions, &c, was very steady during the year, thirty-five new unions of workers and employers (twenty workers and fifteen employers), comprising 1,514 members, being registered. Six workers' unions and one employers' union voluntarily cancelled registration, and two workers' unions, three employers' unions, one association of employers' unions, and two associations of workers' unions were cancelled as being defunct. Thirty complete amendments of rules w r ere registered during the year.