"MOST IMPROPER"

Evening Star, Issue 18543, 28 January 1924, Page 10

"MOST IMPROPER"

LETTER TO ARBITRATION CO CRT. Somo days ago the Wellington ‘Post' published a letter from Mr W. Bromley, secretary of the Wellington Trades and Labor Council, in which ho asked for information from the Court of-Arbitration regarding tlio allowance it made in iU basic wage for rent or bousing costs at certain specified dales. The writer added that if tho court ga,vo tlm information sought, and if its basis was found to bo correct, it would go a long way towards restoring the confidence of tho workers in the impartiality of tho court. It appears that on January .14 Mr Bromley forwarded a similarly . worded letter to tho conit. Thn ‘ Post ’ lias now received from the Registrar of the Court (Mr J. A. Gilmour) a copy of the reply sent to Mr Bromley, witli an intimation that ns that gentleman had thought it proper to take tho somewhat unusual course of making public, through thn Press, tho contents of Lis letter to the court, before tho court could receive or deal with it, the ‘ Evening Post ’ had the permission of Mr Justice Frazer to publish tho letter sent in reply. The letter is ns follows :

“ I am directed by his Honor Mr Justice Frazer to acknowledge receipt of your letter ro rent statistics of 14th instant, and in reply to say that your suggestion that the cour’s impariah’y has been challenged, and that a. further statement from ho court would assist in restoring confidence in it, is most improper and offensive. It may be that the offence was unintentional, but the Court cannot receive a letter that in any way reflect,'; on its integrity. The pronouncements of the court give the results of the court’s statistical investigation, and its considered opinion thereon. If ybii‘: withdraw your letter under notice, mid submit a simple request for Information, it will be considered by the court, and an official reply will be given in due course. It is understood that any information that the court thinks proper to supply to you will at the same time be furnished to the secretary of the blow Zealand ■ Employer*’ Federation.