VICTORIAN LABOUR COMMISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 94, 22 April 1902, Page 3

VICTORIAN LABOUR COMMISSION.

DEPARTURE FOR MELBOURNE

The Victorian Royal Commission appointed to report on the Shops and Factories Act of that State concluded its tour of New Zealand yesterday afternoon, when the Auckland evidence was concluded.

Mr John Fawcus, mechanical engineer, stated that he was , delegated by the Trades and Labour Council to give evidence. He had been a member of the Conciliation Board for. six years, ever since its inception. With regard to the Board, he believed that they should have greater power. This might be done by making a unanimous recommendation of the Board binding on both parties, or an award accepted by a three-fifths majority of employers and workers should be made binding on all. Some greater protection should be afforded to workers taking a prominent part in a dispute. He favoured stipendiary magistrates having power to deal with breaches of an award. He considered that it should be mandatory that the award should be filed two months after the date of the sitting. In answer to questions, Mr Fawcus said that the unions had not fallen off in membership after the awards had been made. In all 37 cases had been before the Auckland Board, 15 of which were settled.' Samuel Tyson, carpenter, - stated that he appeared as secretary of the Carpenters' and Joiners' Union. He stated in reply to a statement made on behalf of the employers that they would not consult with men outside their own trade, that men from outside trades took the cases before the courts because if men from the'trade in. dispute conducted the case they were marked men, and it meant loss of employment. The.unions thought it would be advisable to have an inspector appointed to see1 that the Act was properly administered. James Regan, representing a number of unions, suggested that the chairmen of boards should have legal qualifications. He thought that if the Conciliation Boards were abolished an Appeal Pourt should be established. He thought the Act one qf, thefbes-t on the Statute Book.' He thought, that all members of the Board should Jiave some settled employment, so that "'there could be no suspicion against them. This concluded the evidence. The Chairman expressed the gratitude of the Commission to the people of Auckland for the kind way in which they had come forward and given evidence. Their apparent knowledge of the working of the Act would materially assist the Commission in coming to a conclusion. The Commission left for Melbourne, via Sydney, in the Mararoa, and will report to the Victorian Parliament at an early date.