ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 212, 4 June 1929, Page 10

ARBITRATION COURT

PEOPLE LOSE CONFIDENCE POSITION IN AUSTRALIA Dominion Special Service. Auckland, June 8. “I think the Arbitration Court in Australia has outlived its usefulness,” said the Hon. W. J. Beckett, member of the Victorian Legislative Council, who is a through passenger by the Niagara to Honolulu. “What do you think will take its place?” he was asked. “Well, that is an exceedingly difficult question to answer,” he replied. “The abolition of it will be the biggest question at the next elections. My own personal opinion is that the system of arbitration must prevail. It must be kept in action as far as the larger industries are concerned, such as steamship companies and shearing Industry, but apart from those two I think that the Bruce Government will take away all other activities. With all courts, arbitration or justice, the people must have absolute confidence, and In regard to the Arbitration Court in Australia the people have lost that confidence.”

Mr. Beckett represents Melbourne North in the Victorian Council. He explained that the Legislative Council was an elective body, and in the Upper House, the Labour Party, of which he is a member, had six seats out of a total of 34. Prior to the last election the party had a following of 28 in the Lower House with its allies, and Labour went out on account of the redistribution of seats. “Our party in Victoria are more .akin to the Liberals at Home,” continued. Mr. Beckett “Our leader is an educated country farmer. In Victoria the Labour Party has always been moderate in its views. lam making a hurried trip to Honolulu and back, in anticipation of the general election taking place in August or September. Our party looks forward to the result with every confidence.”