"MOST IMPROPER"

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1924, Page 8

"MOST IMPROPER"

LETTER TO ARBITRATION COURT.

Some days ago "The Post" published a letter from Mr. W. Bromley, secretary of* the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, in which he asked for information from the Court of Arbitration regarding ■the allowance it made in its basic wage for rent or housing costs at certain specified dates. The writer added that if the Court gave the information sought, and if its basis was found to be correct, it would go a long way towards "restoring the confidence of the workers in tho impartiality of the Court. It appears that on 14th January Mr. Bromley forwarded a similarly worded letter to the Court "The Post" has now received from the Registrar of tho Court (Mr. J. A, Gilmour) a copy of the reply sent to Mr. Bromley, with an intimation that as that gentleman had thought it proper to take tho somewhat unusual course of making public, through the Press, the contents of his letter to the Court, before the Court could receive or deal with it, the "Evening Poet" had the permission of Mr. Justice Frazer to publish tho letter sent in reply. The letter is as follows :—

"Wellington, 17th January, 1924. Memorandum for Mr. W. Bromley, Secretary Wellington Trades and.Labour Council, Wellington. "I am directed by his Honour Mr. Justice- Frazer to acknowledge receipt of your letter re rent statistics of 14th instant, and in reply to say that your suggestion that the Court's- impartiality has been challenged, and that a further statement from the Court would assist in restoring- confidence -in it, is most improper and offensive: It may be that the offence was unintentional, but the Court cannot receive a letter ,that in any way reflects on its integrity^ "The pronouncements of the Court give the of the Court's statistical investigations, and its considered opinion thereon.

"If you withdraw your letter under notice, and submit a' simple request for information, it will be considered by the Court, and an official reply will be given in due coarse. Ifc is understood that any information that the Court thinks proper to supply to you will at the same time be furnished, to the secretary of the New Zealand Employers' 'Federation.—J. A. Gilmour, Registrar."