COURT WITHOUT PRESIDENT

Evening Star, Issue 22631, 24 April 1937, Page 13

COURT WITHOUT PRESIDENT

COMPLETE AGREEMENT GASES HEARD [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 23. A sitting of the Arbitration Court of a very unusual character, in that there was no presiding judge present was held in Auckland to-day. _ This special procedure was necessitated through the absence of Mr Justice Page on sickdeave, and was adopted in an effort to expedite the business that has accumulated for the court. The business before the court was recommendations made in 22 industrial disputes in which complete agreement had been reached between the parties in the Conciliation Council. The court was represented by Mr A. L. Mpnteith, assessor for the unions, and Mr W. Cecil Prime, the employers’ representative.

Explaining the position at the outset, Mr Monteith, who presided, said that the sitting had been fixed by Mr Justice Northcroft under section 78 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1925. The sitting would be adjourned to Christchurch, where any awards would be made on April 29, when the eburt was properly constituted. In the meantime, so that the parties could get their awards and to save undue delay, Mr Prime and he would hear applications. It would then not be necessary for the parties to bo in attendance at the adjourned meeting in Christchurch unless they so desired. In several cases in which there were applications for exemption, Mr Monteith explained that Mr Prime and he could not deal with these, and if an award was to be made in Christchurch it would be necessary for the parties to consent to the applicants’ names being struck out in the meantime. Application to add them again could be made at the next sittings of the court in Auckland.

The parties agreed to this suggestion in every case. In almost all the disputes the , employers were represented by Mr H. J. Hislop, of Wellington, assistant secretary of the Now Zealand Employers’ Federation. The unions concerned were represented by about 12 different secretaries.