QUESTION 0F AVERAGES.

Grey River Argus, 2 December 1920, Page 6

QUESTION 0F AVERAGES.

CONFUSION ABOUT A BASIS STATEMENT BY JUSTICE STRINGER. WELLINGTON, December 1. At the Arbitration Court, Mr Malcolm Frascr explained the confusion that had arisen between the monthly average of tho increase in the cost of liviag and the making of an average. After this explanation Mr Keardon said: — "Does the Court feel that its pronouncement has been disturbed by the statement of the Government statistician? If it does not, then we need go no further." Mr Justice Stringer: — "I may say, at once, I think it was a most unfortunate thing that Mr Frascr 's duties should have called him away from the Dominion just aftCT the basis for computing the average had been agreed upon between the court, and myself, and, I think, the then representattrves of the employers. I remember the interview, of which Mr Fraser speaks, 1 with the Acting-Government Statistician, and I am bound to say he must have completely misunderstood any ob ' s-c,rvation of mine if he assumed Vhat ' lie was requested or authorised to depart from the method which harl aT--1 i ready been agreed upon, and which I ' myself thought and have always thought, is t||||nqre correct basis on L which the bonus should be paid. Nor : shoufd I, of course, have had any au- , thority for taking upon myself to authorise any "departure : from the correct method. The communication which was* made afterwards, after that interview, and which gave us the'basis upon which, tie first bonus was graut fc eel, came, of courae, before myself and :the other members of tho court, arid certainly, although it is possible the ■■ thing may have been capable of hay- " • ing the interpretation, mentioned, neither I nor my colleagues" understood an > the least degree that therp had been in that calculation a departure from tho J original basis. I think the position is unfortunate. The final calculations for the 9s bonus, which, were suppiied I by Mr Eraser himself, were made oh - the assumption that the two previous > ones had, been made in accordance with ) ■ the new desiro of the court. That is t the position as far as the court is eon- . : cerhefi. *~ During the afternoon Mr T. BlooclI worth addressed the Court on the state of various industries mentioned by Mr Pryor in h,is speech on Mon--8 day. He considered the employers