ARBITRATION COURT

Evening Star, Issue 17925, 22 March 1922, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT

ADJUSTMENT OF WAGES. COST OF LIVING MOVEMENT. WELLINGTON CASE TO COVER ALL AWARDS. f.pEn United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 22. The Arbitration Court to-day replied to ! a aeries of questions put to it oy the Wellington Trades Council regarding its power to vary awards as concerning tho interpretation of the 1822 Act. j The court said that in regard to the I adjustment of wages on the basis of increased cost of living it would 1 hoar one general case, Wellington to cover all awards and industrial agreements throughi out the Dominion. It was thought that throe or four representatives of each side j would he sufficient. Tho practice that qbI tained in tho past in connection with j applications under tho War Legislation j Act, 1918, would be followed. The court 'would endeavoi to make an announcement i in regard to the movement of tho cost of | living about the end of the month, and on April 26 it would hear evidence and argument respecting tho economic and financial conditions offering in trade and industry to all other relevant considerations. All clear cases would he excluded from the operation of the general order. In tho case of applications by employers for exclusion of any class or section if workers from the operation of the general order, on the ground that a greater reduction should be made, it would be necessary to prove the existence of exceptional economic conditions. The court womd havo to be satisfied that the rate of remuneration would enable the workers to maintain a fair standard of living. The new legislation provided' that the court, should ascertain a fair standard n'ving as against a. fair living wage under the legislation now about to expire. Thi conception of what constituted a fair standard of living might vary from time to time; but it was thought that tho alter id wording was intended to enable the c art to maintain as far as possible its teiati-.o standards of rates fixed by any aware or made after the coming into ojie.at'.on of (ho general order. The. judge loft it to tho Wellington Trades Council to arrange the Labor representation at the hearing on the general question.