THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5569, 28 October 1910, Page 2

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

WILL IT REMAIN ?

WELLINGTON, Oct. 20

The annual report of tho New Zealand Employers' Federation, submitted at to-day's meeting, deals at so'mo length with the labour laws. There have not been, says tho report, any large im'fjstrial upheavals during tho year, nor has there been any cessation of continuous demand? for higher wages and shorter hours. On the contrary, these demands are becoming1 -more insistent and persistent than ever, and signs are not wanting, especially amongst stronger and better organised trade unions, to show they realise that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act has done as much- as is possible, and that they are now prepared to adopt "the. might is right" attitude, ami to draft Tmck to the old order of things. After referring to some recent demands, thy report says it would appear that the day of reckoning is not far off, tvikl that ere long the -question whether the arbitration Yaw is to remain will have to be forced. There must either 'bo a law governing labour conditions, or the workers must depend on the strength of their organisations to secure their rights. Th.> present half-and-half position is most unsatisfactory, and either the workers as a whole must be loyal to the Act or the Act must go. Whether the 'best interests of the country would be served by the application of the survival of 'the iit'UiSt principle is a matter for serious consideration by all concerned : employers, workers, and public alike ; but there can be no two opinions expressed about the necessity of all affected being loyal to the Act if it is to remain in the Statute books.