WORK AND WAGES.

Evening Star, Issue 11666, 28 September 1901, Page 3

WORK AND WAGES.

THE CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION ACT.

A deputation representing the Executive of the Wellington Trades Council (which, it was explained, was acting as for the trades councils of the colony fOl this year) waited on the Premier last night with regard to labor matters.

Mr W- Naughton, president, said, wjth regard to the proposal that trades unions should be registered as industrial unions, it was held there was no necessity for that, inasmuch as all trades unions had been registered under the Act of 1898. Moreover, it would also result in the multiplying of unions. They objected to the proposed amendment to clause 86, in the direction of making it possible for a Judge to limit an award to portion of a district. The award should be made to apply to the whole district, otherwise it might work unjustly. They asked that the Judge of the Arbitration Court should be empowered to override an industrial agreement. In the millers' case in the South the Judge had stated that he would"have awarded superior conditions had it not been for the existence of an 'industrial agreement Mr Naughton objected to certain resolutions recently passed by the Wellington Employers' Association, and said that the suggestion that each side should appoint two delegates would not be practicable, especially as the representatives of the workmen would be "marked" by their employers. Mr Cooper, secretary of the Trades Council, said that it had been complained that the unions were keeping the colony in a state of industrial strife, but there would bei no finality until they got what they wanted—namely, a week of forty-iour hours.

The Premier, in reply to the suggestion that trades unions should be included in the amending legislation with regard to industrial unions, said that this had been opposed by.the employers, and itswas now opposed by the Trades Council. He had none into the matter, however, and it had been submitted to him that unless this were done there would be unions outside the industrial unions which would not be bound by the awards. He said that he thought there was the power, if the Judge of the Arbitration Court did uot do so. that the Governor should declare outside workers to be related to a particular industry, a.nd the award would then apply.However, he would have to look carefully into this matter before expressing any opinion. As to the work- of a Judge, the Act said that an award should apply to the whole of a district. This was the law at present, and it would be better to keep it that way. With regard to the application that the Judge of the Arbitration Court should have power to override industrial agreements, this was a big question. Such a proceeding would be against equity, and it would have to be a very extreme case in which that should work. Speaking of the point raised in regard to "marked" men, Mr Se'ddon said he had noticed that employers had been guilty in that respectHe condemned' the action of such employers, and said it caused him in some cases to step in where men had suffered in this way, and, other conditions being equal, to give them Government employment where it offered. He was not satisfied with the present constitution of the Conciliation Board, and considered that there was room for improvement. He was inclined to think that if there were trained men to take evidence it would be preferable. In conclusion, he said- the colony was in a better position than any other* part of the British Empire so far as tho conditions of labor were concerned. The conditions of both workers and employers ■ had improved, that of the latter in greater proportion, if anything. He looked forward next year to a period of industrial peace.