ARBITRATION COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 278, 23 November 1899, Page 9

ARBITRATION COURT.

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. }

(By; Telegraph.—Press Association.? _ /

DUNEDIN, Wednesday.

At tjlie Arbitration Court Judge Edwards made some remarks in re- | ference to preference of work to unionists. At one time he had doubts: of the , power of the Court to give such preference, but he found that these doulits were, not, shared by other judges. Prbbably his own doubts were' ill forihtled. If the Court had not this, power, there was a very ready, mode of deciding it, but if he possessed the power and refrained from us- ) ing it there would be no remedy. He did not think it possible to work the Act unless such power existed, but it need not necessarily be exercised in all cases. In many cases such preference should not be given, and it: had! been refused in certain casesV The mere fact that the power existed was a deterrent on employers indiscreet enough to visit on unionists their dissatisfaction in the case of an industrial dispute which they fancied had been fostered by particular men. If the power were not eixstent, the were right in supposing that the unions could not exist in many cases. ,: The wharf labourers' dispute was before the Arbitration Court to-day. Three out of seven recommendations of the Conciliation Board were in dispute, namely, overtime, holidays and preference to union men/After hear*,' ing both sides the Court took time to' Z consider, and adjourned till Friday. / <■ -'■