ARBITRATION.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19115, 26 September 1927, Page 5

ARBITRATION.

r* '■ LECTURE AT CANTERBURY COLLEGE. An address on "Arbitration" was delivered to the Canterbury College Engineering Society on Saturday night by Mr R. Twynfcham, of Christchurch. The chairman, Mr T. H. F. Kevins, welcomed the speaker as an old boy of the college, and stressed the importance of the subject of arbitration to all engineers, who might be called on to give technical evidence, or might even be called on to act as arbitrator in a dispute between two parties. The speaker pointed out the- necessity for any man who might be called on to arbitrate to know someting of the laws of arbitration, so that he would realise his position and legal rights. Arbitration was founded on custom, and as far back as 1697, in the reign of William the Third, arbitration acts were in force. These old acts were in force in New Zealand until 1908, when a new act was passed. • After dealing with what constituted a "Deed of Submission,'-' and laws applying to such a deed, the lecturer went into the "Arbitration Act,'.' section by section, pointing out the meaning of each, and illustrating them by references to actual cases. The question being raised a's to who conld be an arbitrator, the lecturer said that anyone of age of sound mind, and absolutely disinterested in either side 'of the dispute, could act. The impossibility of a relative of one of the parties, or of a person with monetary interests on one side, acting as arbitrator, was fairly obvious. After a short discussion, Mr GV Calvert moved a vote of thanks to the sjieaker for his most interesting paper, which was seconded by Mr C. E. Smith.