ARBITRATION COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 214, 8 September 1921, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT.

THE LABOUR MEMBER. WHY HE RESIGNED. ALLEGED BREACH OF FAITH. OVER WAGES STABILISATION. (T.y Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. With reference to his resipniation of ihe position of Labour member of the Arbitration Court, Mr. J. A. McCullough has sent, tho following letter to Mr. Roberts, secretary of the Alliance of Labour Conference now sitting in Wellington;—

'Dear Sir,—l desire to make known to members of the conference and all other trade unionists the fact that I have felt it necessary to tender my resignation as a member of the Arbitration Court. With a view to removing any feeling that may arise in the minds of workers that I have acted hastily or deserted in the face of the enemy, I submit to you the reasons which actuated mc in what I have done.

"The Court has decided to reduce the wages of shearers and shed hands by approximately 20 per cent. This appears to mc to be such a flagTant reversal of the Court's pronouncement to stabilise ■wages that 1 felt that the ordinary dissenting judgment which I have recorded js quite inadequate to meet what I believe to be an absolute betrayal by the Court of the working people of this country.

'■I remember well the shock of disappointment occasioned by the Court's refusal to honour the promise of the 9/ bonus for November of last year, a~ri it eventually reduced to 3/, plus 2/. said to be held in a sort of suspense account. That, in my opinion, is but a circumstance compared with the present happening. At the next six-monthly period a further 3/ accrued bonus was ehown to 'be necessary, making 5/ then due. This was again withheld and carried forward (in the employers' pockets) to the credit of the workers, who were assured that in lieu of this payment •wages would be stabilised and no reduction in wages made until April 30, 1922. "While not approving thie proposal as a whole, I was persuaded to accept it ■without dissent because I had unbounded confidence in the promise of my two colleagues that it secured the workers absolutely against any reduction of wages during that period. I ■want to emphasise this point because it ■was solely on account of this 'gentleman's agreement,' which it was impossible for us to put in writing because to do so would have deprived the employers of their statutory right to appeal to the Court for reductions in accordance with the Government Statistician's figures. To put it another way, I had gambled vrith the workers' means of life because I had unbounded confidence in the integrity and honour of my two colleagues on the Court. Indeed I have stated to representative trade unionists and at several meetings that if such a breach of covenant should occur, as has now occurred, I would refuse any longer to be associated with a tribunal so reckless of a promise made. I know expressions used in the stabilising pronouncement that the Court would not depart from it except 'extraordinary circumstances' were shown may be used against mc to prove that no such unwritten understanding as I allege was ever made. I repeat with emphasis that this solemn undertaking was given to mc, that it was this undertaking which finally induced mc to concur, without open diesent in the withholding of tho 5/ bonus, and that it is the flagrant breach of this agreement which has compelled mc to take the step I have done -in sacrificing the position I have always been proud to occupy.

ir ßut, again, even assuming that the ■written pronouncemnt alone is considered no justifying 'extraordinary circumstances' whatever were shown to have arisen since the making of it. On the contrary, wool prices are now higher than they were then. "In conclusion, may I say I appreciate Tory fully all the kindness that has been 6hown to mc during my term of office."