TO-DAY’S CONFERENCE

Grey River Argus, 27 March 1928, Page 5

TO-DAY’S CONFERENCE

ON ARBITRATION ACT. (Special to Argus.) . WELLINGTON. March 26. To-morrow the conference called by the Government to consider the working of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act will commence at Parliament Buildings, Wellington. The organisations interested have already announced their delegates, and it is anticipated that the conference will lose no time in getting down to business. The order of reference for the conference is comprehensive. In addition to set questions, the delegates will be permitted to discuss any phase of the relations between employer and employee. With nearly eighty delegates in attendance, the deliberations will no doubt be protracted. It is anticipated that the procedure 'will be the' setting up of a number of committees to deal with different phases of the problem and to report to the main conference. Subjects which have been suggested for discussion are the following: 1. The welfare of the country. 2. The interests of employers. 3. The interests of the workers.

(b) The effect of the present system of industrial legislation on the primary industries of the Dominion on which the prosperity of New Zealand ultimately depends. (c) The possibility of adjusting the effect of industrial awards and agreements on the primary industries, takinto into account (1) their fixed income from the sale of their products abroad, and (2) any other method of encouraging primary industries. (d) The exclusion of inclusion of any particular industry from or in the LC. and A. Act. (o.) The basis upon which award rates should be fixed. (f) Payment by piecework or otherwise. according to volume of output. (g) The constitution of the Court of Arbitration and the representation thereon qf parties concerned. (h) Preference to unionists. (i) Improved methods of avoiding industrial disturbances and other like debt vs in carrying on industry. \'j) Such alterations, if any. as are desirable in the industrial legislation of the Dominion. (k) Apprenticeship. (l) Immigration. The following delegates will represent the Now Zealand Employers’ Federation:__Mr W. C. Smith, Mr T. Shailer Weston (President of the New Zealand Federation), Mr H. Mainland (President of the Wellington Association), Mr W. G. Gawith (representing the Union Co), Mr A. G. Henderson (of the Lyttelton Tinies Company, Christchurch), and M. T. O. Bishop (Secretary of the Federation).