THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 12, 15 January 1926, Page 6

THE ARBITRATION COURT.

In view of Mr. Hiram Hunter's record as a Labour leader there is something 1 ironical in the opposition that is developing against his re-election as workers' representative on the Arbitration Court. Probably Mr. Hunter himself sees the humour in the charge that he has not raised his voice sufficiently in the interests of his class. As a msmber of the Court Mr. Hunter has not appeared to us to be timid or silent, but there may be two reasons why he has not been more vocal and dissentient. Ho may have thought that it was uselesj to oppose the majority, or the work of the Court may have broadened his outlook It is not for a daily newspaper, save in very exceptional circumstances, to take a strong line in an election of this kini, but there is one point that we think we may make with propriety, and that is the value of experience in a member of the Court. In this, as in other occupations, it takes a man some time to learn his job. Mr. Hunter has been a member for three years, and we should say that he is much more valuable now than he was when he began. The work of the Court is complex and most important, and it seems to us undesirable that its personnel should be changed frequently. This was recognised when the custom of having a succession of Supreme Court judges as President was abandoned, and Mr. Justice Frazer was appointed permanent head of the tribunal.