“LAW SHOULD BE UPHELD”

Press, Issue 29236, 21 June 1960, Page 13

“LAW SHOULD BE UPHELD”

Arbitration Court

Rulings

(New Zealand Press Association) GISBORNE, June 20.

“I firmly believe that the law should be upheld. If it is not, then the Arbitration Court is of no further use," said the Dominion president of Federated Farmers (Mr S. D. Reeves) in Gisborne today. Mr Reeves said that two major principles were at stake in the meat export industry—whether both parties to an award of the Court were going to abide by the ruling of the Court and whether the Government was going to see that the rulings of the Court were obeyed. The facts were that just before Christmas, the Court issued its judgment on the freezing workers’ award, said Mr Reeves. It did not provide in it for the Incorporation of the increases it had granted by way of a general order. “The freezing workers decided that they did not like the decision and thereupon threatened to strike. That is the technical and legal interpretation of their action." he said.

“The action we took was expedited by our legal adviser at our expressed wish and, I understand, went through the Supreme and Appeal Courts in record time. Allegations that steps taken were to delay proceedings are not correct. “We took the course we did first to see that the law was upheld, and secondly to endeavour to have the voice of the farmer heard at the proceedings as it is the farmer who will ultimately pay the extra costs involved.”