LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 12

LABOUR NOTES.

ARBITRATION COURT.

BUSIER TIME IS COMING.

(By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.)

UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK

Tuesday, January 2S—Tramways (A.M. and

r.M.). Wednesday, January 30 —Auckland Carpen tors, Onehunpii Carpenters. Thursday,. January oo—Coopers.

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES.

As an indication that the expressed determination of the new Labour Government to restore the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitratioh Act to its original status at the first session of the Xew Parliament is not without effect upon employers, it is confidently expected that the Court of Arbitration will have an increase of business to transact in the future. Under the amendments passed by the late Coalition Government no dispute could be referred to the Court except by the consent of both parties and this was never reallv_ obtained. This state of affairs was classed under the heading of "Compulsory Conciliation," and it was a rank failure, which ultimately led to "go-as-you-please" working conditions and wages.

In the Auckland plumbers' dispute, which came before the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. P. Hally, on Tuesday of last week, this "turning of the corner' policy was manifestly evident.. The employers' union was represented by Mr. W. E. Anderson as advocate and the employees' union by the secretary, Mr. J. Clark. It may be mentioned that repeated efforts have been made by the workers' union since 1932 to get their dispute referred to the Court for a settlemeil, but each such application lias been blocked by the respondents declining to agree, and the whole legal process of" filing a new dispute began again de novo by the union.

On Tuesday of last week, when the seventh or eighth consecutive application in three years came before the Commissioner, with new legislation on the Act looming in the offing, there was a distinct improvement in the atmosphere, for, although there was no agreement on any of the clauses and the usual deadlock was reached, when the union moved the reference of the dispute to the Court it was seconded by one of the employers' assessors and carried unanimously.

One reason given by the employers' representative was that it would save the expense of filing another applicatioii, but the union advocate facetiously mentioned that this need not enter into their calculations, for the union had kept the application in type for three years, although there were signs that the type was showing signs of wear. It is pleasing to note an alteration in the attitude of some employers toward the Arbitration Act. "WHITE ANTING." This expressive term, coined in Australia, where the ravages of this destructive insect is a menace to all wooden buildings, has come to be applied to the influence of Communists as members of any trades union or organisation. Under this heading "The Standard," which is a new name for the old "New Zealand Worker," has a .word of warning for trades unionists:— "Communists, who began their evil work among the men in the Ashley Camp, have received a fair warning from the Minister of Public Works. Their activities will not be tolerated. The Communists in the Dominion are a small group, but they are militant and very vocal. A Labour Government was the last thing they wanted to see, for they knew that a Labour Government would give the workers decent working and living conditions. Such conditions mean comfort and contentment. Labour has no quarrel with Communism as a philosophy, but when adherents of the socalled Communist Party in this cpuntry try to throw a spanner in the works, then Labour will definitely take action if necessary to stop such tactics." GUARANTEED PRICES. Wool is bought by Great Britain, the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, France and other manufacturing countries. How much simpler it would be if under some international economic scheme the wool growers of Australia and is e w Zealand could be guaranteed a fixed price for their wool up to a certain quantity, irrespective of climatic vagaries or other uncontrollable happenings. The buyer would also be in a better position, because he would not have to check up on market prospects, but buy forward, hedge, or do any other operation now necessary in order to make sure he gets what he wants in his business. Many students of the economic situation are beginning to feel that currency stabilisation, when it comes, should be accompanied by some form of price stabilisation of such primary raw materials as wool, tin, copper, rubber, cotton, etc. Such a scheme would help to solve those problems which are now the cause of the many disputes in the European political situation.

Pi'ice fi.vntioa by itself, of course, is not enough. It must be accompanied by other more fundamental changes assuring the more orderly development of production, for example, so that the consumer as well as the producer is protected.—Economic writer, London "Dailv Herald."

PRAISE FOR LABOUR. Mr. G. W. Simpson, formerly Public Service Commissioner for West Australia, told a Christchurch interviewer on his journey south that the people of that State were perfectly satisfied with the Labour Government's administration. Unemployment, once an acute problem was, he said, now nearly non-existent under the Labour Government. It had been achieved largely by embarking on an extensive programme of public works the same policy as was to be followed in New Zealand. Railway construction, water supply and sewerage, all of them sound investments, had been put in hand bv the Government.

Wage cuts had taken [dace under the previous National Government, but before they were defeated they had made a start to replace the cuts. Labour continued that policy, and the whole of the reductions had now been restored.

In spite of the extensive public works taxation in West Australia was probably lower than it was in any other State. Income tax was on a graduated f.cale. Incomes of less than about £300 were not taxed, but the tax rose up to five shillings in the pound on incomes of £10,000. Beyoncl that the rise was more gradual.