AN INTERESTING SITUATION

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 61, 9 September 1921, Page 8

AN INTERESTING SITUATION

POSITION OF MR. M. J. REARDON.

An interesting situation is developing as the result of the resignation of Mr. J. A. M'Cullough from the position of workers' representative on the Arbitration Court. The circumstances attending his resignation were discussed yesterday afternoon by the conference of Labour bodies, convened by the Alliance of Labour, and the following resolution was passed:— .. "That this conference endorses the action of Mr. J. A. M'Cullough in resigning his position on the Arbitration Court, and is of opinion that the course lie adopted was in the best interests of ■ the workers; conference pledges its unanimous support in any further action he may take in regard to this matter." In addition, the conference passed the following motion: — "That this conference requests the deputy-representative of Labour in the . Court not to occupy the position vacated by Mr. M'Cullough, and recommends organised Labour I not to nominate any other person as representative of the workers in the Arbitration Court." 0 The deputy nominated Labour member of the Court, is Mr. M. J. Reardon, of Wellington, who has already been summoned .to proceed to Auckland next Tuesday in order to sit with the Court there. In view of the resolution carried by the conference, Mr. Reardon is now considering whether he will agree to sit I on tho Court pending the election df a substitute for Mr. M'Cullough. There ! now appears to be a definite cleavage in the Labour jnovement between the advocates of arbitration and those who favour the settlement of industrial disputes by other methods, and Mr. Reardon's choice lies between the representations of these two factions. "My, position is a somewhat difficult one," remarked Mr. Eeardon to-day, "and I feel like calling on the selectors of the All Black Rugby team to settle it." In the event of the Labour unions re- I fusing to nominate a successor to Mr.. M'Cullough, it is understood that the ■Government can appoint a workers' representative, on the CouTt. Supporters of arbitration, however, are inclined to the opinion that, were this line of action followed, the Arbitration Court would become more unpopular than it is already stated to be, and that it would only .strengthen the hands of those who are out to wreck the arbitration system. At the close of the Labour conference yesterday,, if was reported that the ex-' planation given by Mr. M'Culloush for ■his resignation was fully considered, and an overwhelming majority of the delegates present expressed the opinion that the workers could no longer have any confidence in the Arbitration Court, in view of the fact that Mr.. M'Cullough had made an agreement with the other two members of the Court regarding the stabilisation of wages, to the effect that there should be no reduction in rates of pay until April, 1922. In spite of this agreement, the Court had, on the first opportunity, reduced the wages'of shear.:ers and shed-hands by 20 per cent., thus breakingvan honourable agreement. •The'question as to whether Mr. M. J. Beardon should take his seat as deputy nominated member of the Arbitration Court was .discussed at last night's meeting of the executive of the Amalgamated Society of Shop Assistants. The meeting carried a resolution expressing Ihe opinion that a very, grave .injustice would be done to unions in Auckland who had disputes awaiting hearing, if .Mr. Reiirlok refused (o sit on the Court.