INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14860, 29 December 1913, Page 7

INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.

THE ARBITRATION COURT.

WORKERS' REPRESENTATIVES,

Industrial unions registered under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act are being asked at th© present time to record their opinion by vote as to who shall be the nominated workers* representative on the Arbitration Court, a position at present held by Mr J. A. McCnllough. From tho number' of papers already forwarded to th© Labour Department by unions, there appears to be only two nominations for the position, Mr J. A. McCullough, of Christchurch (sitting member) and Mr A. Rosser, of Auckland.

It is understood that most of the Auckland unions will support the candidature of Mr Rosser, but the votes so recorded are not likely to b© sufficient to disturb the support that will b© accorded to Mr McCullough. A& usual, there is a lively contest for the position of acting-nominated member of the Court for th© workers. Thoso nominated (as shown by tho papers received) aro as follow:—Mr- T. Long, Auckland; Mr E. J. Carey, Wellington; Mr E. J. Howard, WellingtonMr W. T. Young, Wellington; Mr A. H. Cooper, Wellington; Mr R. Slater, Dunedin.

In voting for a candidate for cither of the above positions, a union has a voto for every fifty members it possesses. There were 322 Arbitration unions, with a membership of 00,022, on December 31st last, but since then tho number has been very largely increased, until to-day it is computed that there are in the Dominion about 72,000 Arbitrationist unionists, which will mean that it is possible to cast 1450 votes at th© election of members of tho Court. Tho largest union is the Amalgamated Society of Railway Workers, which has about 7500 members, and is entitled to 147 votes. The rosults of tho electionit is really nomination and election in one—will not be known until the end of January. The now member and acting•membcr of the Court will assume those |»ositions from tho date of gazetting.