CONCILIATION COUNCILS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 111, 12 May 1909, Page 3

CONCILIATION COUNCILS.

REMARKS BY MR. MILLAR. (Bt Telegbaph.-— Special to Tub Post.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. In the course of- an interview last evening, the Hon. J. A. Millar stated that the Conciliation Councils were doing excellent work. " They have not had any adverse criticism," he said. " Both industrial parties have accepted them, and regard them with distinct " favour. The only exception to this was the opposition to Mr. Giles in Auckland, but that, apparently, has now disappeared. Mr. Giles has been successful in settling several disputes. He has received a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence from the representatives of both parties, and complete satisfaction is expressed with the manner in which he has done his work. Both Mr. Triggs and Mr. Hally, the other commissioners, have also been very successful. We are in great hopes that the dawn of a new era is appearing, and that conciliation will he the dominant factor in future disputes. Up to the present time, the Act has certainly operated in that direction. We hope that the old order has passed, and that both sides are beginning to realise that by mutual forbearance much more satisfactory arrangements can be made than under the old system. There is no doubt that there is a much better feeling between the parties than could possibly exist under compulsion." Mr. Millar is no longer Minister of Labour, and labour measures next session ■will be in the hands of his colleague, the Hon. A. W. Hogg. He expressed an opinion, however that no further amendments of the Arbitration Act would be »nade just now. He believes that sufficient time should be allowed to test the working of the Act as it stands. As far as the Act has gone, he lias seen no defect in it.