SEETHING WITH DISCONTENT

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3347, 13 October 1911, Page 5

SEETHING WITH DISCONTENT

WORKERS REVOLT AGAINST ARBITRATION ACT* CSPECIAIi TO TIIIES.3 AUCKLAND, Oct. 12. ' Tlie epidemic of union revolt against tlie administration of the Arbitration Act is spreading rapidly throughout the Dominion, says the “Star’s” Labor correspondent. The first unions to cede from the Act were the miners, then followed the shearers, Auckland Tramwaymen. Auckland General Laborers, and this week the Auckland Waterside W orkers are to consider tlie matter at ia special meeting, while the question of ■cancellation of registration is likely to come up for consideration at a meeting ■of the Auckland Painters’ Union. The members of the Auckland Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ Union are seething with discontent at the refusal of the Court last week to grant an award to include the private hotels ot the district. Evidence of as much as 85 to 105 hours per week was adduced by the Union, and yet the Court turned a deaf ear to the prayer of the Union. The reason given is rather a peculiar one, and shows that the Court and the Labor Department are very much at variance in their interpretation of the existing law. The Department maintains that the amended Act of last session does not include the employees in private hotels in relation to hours of labor, while Mr Justice Sim stoutly asserts that such workers are already protected by the Act, and so refuses to grant an award. Tlie two sets of luminaries are pulling in different directions, and the Union, in between, suffers. It is no wonder that union after union is breaking away from the Act, and tlie Hon. J. A. Miliar himself lias had reluctantly to throw a brick at the constitution of the Court by stating that he considers that the time has arrived for the displacement of a ; legally trained president by a practically commercially trained person in that important position. More equity is wanted and less law, and the sooner such a change is effected it will be _ for the industrial peace of the Dominion.