ARBITRATION ACT AMENDMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 18093, 7 October 1922, Page 15

ARBITRATION ACT AMENDMENTS

SOME CHRISTCHURCH IMPRESSIONS.

[Special to the 1 Stau.’]

CHRISTCHURCH, Octobe- 6.

Representatives of the employers and of the trades unions in Christchurch, when interviewed-, were variously impressed with the amendments to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, as proposed in the Bill introduced by the Minister of Labor,

Mr Frank Cooper, secretary of the Canterbury Employers’ Association, said that the employers wore in favor of the provision lor'the setting up of a dominion council of conciliation when both sides agreed upon the desirableness of such action. There were several dominion disputes—that of the drivers, bakers, and engineers, for instance—which would toko less time and expense if dealt with by a- dominion council of conciliation, instead of having to be dealt with by councils of conciliation in every district. Union secretaries agreed with the provisions for dominion -councils, and remarked that not only time but expense would bo saved if the proposal, in the Bill were given effect to. “If every union does what is correct,” remarked one secretary, “ they will have no fear of anyone inspecting their books.” Another secretary, referring to the proposals for audit, remarked that Friendly Societies and unions registered under the Trades Union Act have to submit a bal-ance-sheet annually to registrars of such societies and unions.

Mr C. Renn, secretary of the Printing Tracies’, Journalists’, and other unions, said that while the Bill included a number of minor provisions that trades union officials had asked the Minister for, thero were some clauses of a pin-pricking character. The principal instance of this was the provision for keeping- what the Bill referred to as “ proper accounts.” It was obvious that it was proposed to keep a close watch on the manner in which ©very penny of union money was spent, Tho provision for inspection of a union’s books by the registrar, or by someone appointed by him, would prove an inconvenience in the case of those smaller unions whose registered offices wore the dwellings of their secretaries.