THE CONFERENCE AND ARBITRATION SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 56, 7 March 1930, Page 8

THE CONFERENCE AND ARBITRATION SYSTEM

(To the Editor.) Sir,—l am venturing to write to ventilate a matter which I think of some importance to the people of this country. Some little time ago the Government decided to have representation at the Geneva Conference of the International Labour Office, and called on both the employers and employees' organisations to name their representatives. In all probability we shall have Mr. Jas.. Roberts representing the labour organisations, while we are already informed that Mr. Shailer Weston and Professor Tocker will be the other representatives to attend this important conference. Now, Sir, I think it will be a reasonable supposition to assume that the bulk of the delegates from the different countries.of the world will be desirous of securing first-hand information as to the working of our arbitration system here—a thing which has attracted a good deal of attention during the last twenty years of our history. I venture' to say that there is not one of the delegates who will be in a position to give any certain information on this matter, as it is probable that the wholo tkree of them are opposed to compulsory arbitration for the final _ settlement of industrial disputes! There is none of them who has detailed practical information in respect to the running of the Court, and if they are free to express their opinions as those of the people of this Dominion, we shall have the remarkable position of unanimity by the three delegates against compulsory'arbitration, while <J5 per cent, of our iraions are registered under the Act and desirable of "settling their disputes under the compulsory provisions provided) by the XC. and A. Act. Can we afford to have such a situation arise? At least the Government ought to insist that its policy in respect to the Act should be expounded, but .can Professor Tocker' be depended on to do that exposition? In the light of what took place at the National Industrial Conference 1 very much doubt it.—l am, etc., ; SEARCHLIGHT.