ARBITRATION COURT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10413, 21 October 1927, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT

AMENDING BILL BEFORE . HOUSE , v ; fk -

JUDGE TO EXERCISE J URISDIC-

TION ALONE

NOMINATED MEMBERS TO VA-

CATE: OFFICE.

FARMING INDUSTRY AND „ DAIRY FACTORIES EXEMPTED

EMPLOYERS MAY PAY BY RE- ■ - STJLTS IN ALL CASES .

WELLINGTON, Oct. 20. Biy Goyernor-Gienerai’s message- the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Rill was introduced. The Leader of the- Opposition asked if the Minister would give- as full an explanation as possible of. the Bill, bee,auso many people were deeply interested in it. y! The Mirlister said the constitution of tlie Court is altered. The present judge remains in office, and except for the- settlement of industrial disputes, shall exercise jurisdiction alone. On every industrial dispute two arbitrators shall be selected to Ait with the judge on that . dispute-. The arbitrators shall be selected one for the employers and one for tho employees in the industry affected tty' dispute.. Should it be necessary to sit in more than one place, the judge : will sit alone in all but the principal place, and the evidence will ho taken ’down and communicated to the arbitrators and the decision, will be arrived at aftqr-consultation in the principal place appointed. If a. recommendation is unanimously agreed. to by all assessors, on the Conciliation' Council,, the dispute may be referred to court for settlement, by the judge, alone-. The present- nominated mem- , berg will vacate office as soon as the cases now before the Court have been dealt with. Provision is made for compensating them for loss of . office. The farming industry is exempted from' the operations of; the Act, continued the Prime Minister. The farming industry include all agricultural pastoral and dairying operations an?! all work of other descriptions incidental'to such operations,, when effected on a farm'. Dairy factories are also exempted from the/ Act. It is laid down that in future there shall bo no provision in any award prohibiting employment under piecework rates; or in any'manner calculated to secure payment- by results.. The Court may embody these provisions in any award, fcpit notwithstanding the absence from any award or industrial agreement of such provisions, an employer, may agree with his employees or any of them for payment at piecework rates cr according to- the volume of work done-, provided that in no case shall the basis of payment be less than the rate fixed by the award or industrial agreement by which the parties would be otherwise- bound. All assessors must have been einemployed in the industry that is under'; dispute within the previous twelve months, and p-rovision is made that if any employer dismisses one of the assessors within six months of his /acting as- such an assessor, it will\be prima facie evidence that such assessor was dismissed because he had acted as an assessor. In cases where no two members of the Court are able to agree, upon, a decision, then, the judge will decide in fixing the award. The Court must.take into consider-, tion a-'fair standard, of living, continued the Prime Minister, and also the economical and financial conditions affecting tho industry towards which tho, award relates and, the trade and industry generally in New Zealand Where new methods of work are brought' into being tlie Court may amend an award to give effect to them. In the case of any dispute or strike or where there islikely to be a dispute or a strike, the Minister may summon the parties to meet him, and if persons so summoned do not- attend they - are liablo to a fine- of £SO. UNIONS ASKED FOE; ALTERATIONS-

Air H. B. Holland (Leader of the Opposition), said he hoped the Bill would tie referred to the Labor Bills Committee. Industrial unions had not been consulted regarding the Bill nor the Alliance of Labor, The Alinister: They circularised me and asked me for alterations in the constitution of the Courtw-- “ PROTEST AGAINST EXEMPTION " OF FARMING INDUSTRY Air Holland replied they had not asked for tlie exemption of the farming industry. How did tlie Government propose to deal with industrial troubles when they arose in rural districts?- _ , Air Parry questioned the Minister closely as to whether he intended to send tho Bill to a committee as was usual in cases .of such legislation as this.

The Alinister asked if he (Air Parry) had ..ever known such a Bill not to be sent, to/ 1 the Labor Bills Committee.

Mr Parry s.aid he would take it thiit it was definitely proposed to send the Bill to the Labor Bills- Committee.

The Prime Minister here intervened, and said the Bill would probably be sent to the Labor Bills Committee after the second reading.

L ABO RITES HAD- BETTER TAKE THEIR GRUEL

Mr Lysnar said the Labor party had asked for a. change in the constitution of tlie court, and now they had got it they had better take tlieir gruel. Ho objected to the Bill going to tlie committee where it would be blocked by protracted discussions. He congratulated the Minister on bringing in the Bill, which contained many excellent provisions. Mr Armstrong said there had been industrial peace in New Zealand for a long time and why disturb it now?. The Arbitration Court was being abolished, and an abortion being put in its place. There were many small industries, which would not be able to select competent assessors. If they were going to change their assessors in every case why not change the judge, too? What was not fair in one case was fair in another. Were these assessors to bo paid ? There was nothing in the Bill about that. With all its faults, the Arbitration Court was more in the interests of the . people than otherwise, and he predicted that the people who had been clamoring for its abolition would in a few years be clamoring for its restoration, \ and the metnber for Gisborne would be the leading agitator.

“WOOLLY EXTREMISTS IN REFORM PARTY”

Mr McCombs said he ventured to say extremists on _ both sides would welcome a Rill which abolished the Artlitration Court,- hut he also ventured to say there i were many clauses in tlje measure of which the Minister with liis experience did not. approve, .but' which had been for-, ced on him by. a, few wild and woolly extremists in the Reform - party. He could: sec no advantage from abolishing permanent assessors, GOVERNMENT WILL HEAR REA-' ■ . SQNABLEI EVIDENCE V The 'Minister said the "Bill would go to the Labbr Rills Committee. He could not agree to a pro forma second reading, nor would" lie "stand unnecessary and protracted evidence before a committee. The Government would be the judge of what was reasonable.. When members -of the Opposition .read t the Bill they" will find it 'not so terrible I after all.' . J , The Bill was read a first time. — KA.. / • 'V '. " :