ARBITRATION ACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 172, 23 July 1928, Page 19

ARBITRATION ACT.

AMENDMENT POSTPONED.

M.P.'S WANT TO 'ELECTIONEER'

"STOP GAP" TO BE EXTENDED

FARMER MEMBERS NOT PLEASED.

(By Teh'grax'b.—Parliamentary Keporter.)

"WELLINGTON" this day.

Member? of the Government party appear to have made up their minds that this session is not a suitable time to completely overhaul the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. They wish to get back to their constituencies in the first week of October, at the latest, and there is so much work, even with the slender legislative programme to be presented by the Government, that the time will be fully occupied without waiting for the long investigation needed by the Labour Bills Committee, which would be inevitable in the ease of any important changes in the law. It is proposed, therefore, to introduce another brief amendment of the main Act, extending the "stop gap" provisions of last session's legislation, so that existing awards connected with farming and allied industries shall not be varied or extended, and that no new awards shall be made prior to September, 1929. This arrangement is not altogether palatable to many of the farmers' representatives in the House. They point out that the restrictions on Labour conditions add to working costs, not only 011 farm products which have to be prepared for export, but on requirements for carrying on primary industry.

Meanwhile, the representatives of ilie Agricultural Workers' Union have commenced an active campaign in the North Island, with the object of organising the labour that was specifically men tioned in the short amending Act of last session, and it is feared that twelve months' delay -w ill result in a situation of greater difficulty than -would bo the case if the problem -were handled to-day. However, the Parliamentary machine is slow in its action, and delay appears to bo the only practicable course in the short pre-election session.