AFRICAN LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 74, 29 March 1922, Page 8

AFRICAN LABOUR

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

THE ORDER OP REFERENCE.

(AUSTRALIAN - NEW ZEALAND CAILK ASSOCIATION )

(Received March 29, 2 p.m.)

CAPETOWN, 28th March.

In the House of Assembly, General Smuts announced that the Government had completed arrangements for the appointment of the promised Commission to inquire into the industrial ie3ues. arising from the- strike. The terms of reference included the effect and extent of the status quo agreement of 1918, referring to the class of work performed l>y native labour; the necessity for the continuance, variation, or a<bo!it?on thereof; the desirability of establishing another system foi' TOgulating the ratio of European to native labour on the mines; the methods to be adopted bj the industry to effect economies, promote efficiency, and secure the maximum employment of European labour; the possibility of classifying the mines into two grades, ■employing different ratios of European and native labour with different working conditions. The' Commission also to inquire into the recent coal dispute. The personnel, of the Commission is Justice Sir WTliiam Solomon, chairman; Sir Robert Kotze, Government mining engineer; and Sir Carnithers Beattie, principal of the University of Capetown. Through the assistance of the British, Government, the Union Government is also able to secure the appointment of Mr. William Brace, ex-Labonr Adviaw to the British Ministry of Labour, whose knowledge of labour and: mining conditions .will bo of the greatest service. The Commission will commeaieo its sittings almost immediately.