THE FINANCE ACT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 116, 19 May 1931, Page 10

THE FINANCE ACT

JUDGE'S INTERPRETATION

An indication that the Finance Act, 1931, was not an instruction to the Court of Arbitration, as had been suggested, was given by his Honour Mr. Justice Frazer yesterday afternoon.

His Honour said he did not look upon the passing of the Act as an instruction to the Court, as someone had suggested. He considered that the Court had been empowered to consider the question and to say whether wages should be reduced or increased. If the Court came' to the conclusion that there should be ■no Te.duction, there was no compulsion to make a reduction. Certainly, the Court did not regard the Act as an instruction; it was merely a direction to the Court to investigate the position. Mr. Blood worth said he understood his Honour to say that even if the Court did alter wages no employer would be bound to act upon it. *

His Honour said that that was so; it had always been the, rule. In .1922 quite . a number.' of employers did . not take advantage, of the reductions. As a matter of fact, .all .that/was affected in a general order was ihe minimum rate..' . ■ ...:■.■'..■'.'.■■ ...