INDUSTRIAL LAW

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 248, 15 July 1932, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL LAW

Conciliation Work NEW COMMISSIONER South Island Disputes The appointment of Mr. Samuel Ritchie, solicitor, of Invercargill, as a Conciliation Commissioner for six months, under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, was announced In yesterday’s Gazette. It is understood that the new commissioner will operate in the Canterbury, Otago, Southland and West Coast districts, the North Island and Marlborough being covered by Mr. P. Hally, who has for some time been the only commissioner In New Zealand. The appointment of a second commissioner has been made in anticipation of an Increase in work arising out of the amending Act of last session, for, in addition to dealing with industrial disputes caused through awards expiring, conciliation councils will be called upon to review agreements if this course is desired before they have expired. , Power to appoint additional conciliation commissioners for periods not exceeding a year was contained in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act passed by Parliament during the. recent emergency session. It was then emphasised by Govern'rnent speakers that conciliation proceedings were expected to play a much larger part in industrial disputes than previously, for although It was to be compulsory for the parties to a dispute to go before a conciliation council If an agreement were desired, it was to be merely optional whether the proceedings should go to the. Arbitration Court. It Is stated officially that although the two commissioners will be kept busy during the next few months,, it is not anticipated that more appointments will have to be made. With one commissioner in the South Island and one in the North Island it is considered they will be able to cope with the work offering. Many awards will be expiring In the near future, and In every Instance the conditions of the new law relating to industrial disputes will apply. Any party to a dispute may take a case to a conciliation council, but disputes will not automatically go to the court as in the past. In a local dispute, affecting only one industrial district, at least three assessors on each side must agree to the dispute going to the court it there are four assessors on each side. If there are less than four assessors on each side they must be unanimous before the dispute can be sent on to the court. A Dominion dispute will not go to the court unless, where there are six or more assessors on each side, at least five on each side agree to that course. The assessors ntrid 1"' unanimous if there are less than six. Even although certain awards may not be expiring shortly, they can be brought under review, according to the new law. " Either party to an award or industrial agreement can apply for , a revision if the agreement has been in force at the date of the application for not less than six months, and if it has an unexpired term of not less than three months. Should a conciliation council fall to arrive at a settlement of a dispute or adopt a proposal that it should be referred to the court, the agreement in question shall cease to operate and the award shall lapse.