ARBITRATION COURT VACANCY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 303, 16 September 1921, Page 6

ARBITRATION COURT VACANCY

—* MR. REARDON WITHDRAWS FROM CONTEST LOCAL LABOUR COUNCIL NOMINATES MR. M'CULLOUGH A special meeting of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council xvas held last night to discuss the vacancy on the Arbitration Court caused by the resignation of Mr. J. A. M'.Cullough (workers' representative). Mr. E. Kennedy was in the chair, and there was a large attendance of delegates. After discussion, the following resolution was passed:— That ill viexv cf Mr. M'Cullough’s promise to -> the Otago Trades and Labour Council to allow unions to choose a representative at a time of less excitement, this council recommends Mr. M. J. Reardon to xvithdraw from tho contest, and give Mr. M'Cullough a walk-over for the seat. Mr. Reardon, who was in attendance at the meeting, made the folloxving statement' to the council:—"l was not a candidate for the seht against Mr. M'Cullough. The policy of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council is to make recommendations to the unions that will enable the machinery of the Arbitration Court to be again set in motion. This policy teems to be achieved by the resolutioxx to recommend Mr. M'Cullough. Therefore, I ehall fall in with the recommendations of this council." It is understood that Mr. M'Cullough has agreed to stand fox- re-election. METHOD OF ELECTION CRITICISED Bx Telegraph —Press Association. New. Plymouth, September 15. The Operative Butchers’ Federation, at its conference here to-day, discussed at some length tho method cf electing the xvorkers’ representative to the Arbitration Court, and passed a x esolution urging on the Government the necessity of amending the Arbitration Act in such a manner as to provide that only those unions working undex- awards and industrial agreements registered under the Act should have the right to vote for the election of a representative. In the opinion of the conference this was the only safeguard which those unions had. It seemed ridiculous to the conference that any organisation, purely because it was registered under the- Act for reasons of its oxvn, but never sought tho aid of the Court in the settlement of disputes, should be allowed a voice in the selection of the workers’ representative.