COMPENSATION ACT

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 88, 14 April 1930, Page 13

COMPENSATION ACT

ALLIANCE'S ATTITUDE

ACTION CONDEMNED

Condemnation of the Alliance of Labour in urging industrial unions to refrain from giving evidence before the committee appointed to inquire into the Workers' Compensation Act was made at a recent meeting of the Petone branch of the Amalgamated Engineering and Allied Trades Uuion.

The following resolution was carried unanimously:—"That this meeting of engineers, whilst approving the action of the Alliance of Labour in protesting against tho method of the appointment of the committee set up to investigate the Compensation Act, strongly objects to their action in declaring tho committee 'black' and refusing to give evidence, for ,tho following reasons: (1) That tho decision of tho committee depends very largely on tho evidence submitted. (2) That tho whole of the workers in New Zealand would be penalised, as amendments are necessary. (3) That the Alliance of Labour is inconsistent, as on a previous, occasion when a committee was act uo to deal with unemployment they appointed representatives without reference to the industrial movement. " :

A statement made by the union continues :-r- . .. . •' . , -.

"The statement made by the Alliance- .of Labour^ that their objection to the ■ appointment of Mr. Bloodworth is based on the ground that the industrial movement was not: consulted is misleading. This is clearly indicated by the fact tliat when the Unemployment Committee was set up the only people consulted were the -Alliance of Labour executive, from" whom the appointments: .were. made. . The correct procedure would have been to have referred the niattor to-the industrial movement and had nominations called for in... the-.-usual way. But this they failed to do, and now ■ profeßS that they are concerned about the movement1 as a whole; when, in reality, they are concerned ■: only- with their own organisation." . : . ■