OPPOSITION TO ARBITRATION AMENDMENT BILL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 8 October 1913, Page 7

OPPOSITION TO ARBITRATION AMENDMENT BILL.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, Oct. 7. The Arbitration Act Amendment Bill is meeting with widespread opposition from the Trades' Unions in Auckland. The Waterside Workers' Union has written to Mr Myers, M.P., asking him on behalf of 1100 members of that body to "convey to Parliament our conviction that the Bill is the most harsh and re-ac-tionary measure devised in any civilised country outside of Russia for many years," and expressing .the opinion that "this attempt to revert to the coeerciye methods in vogue against workers in mediaeval times and under the Roman Empire emanated from the orgainsed employers of the country and their officials." The opinion is further expressed that "the complete humiliation of organised Labor in New Zealand aimed at by the promoters of this iniquity will be j defeated in practice, and that the Bill, if passed, must inevitably result in chaos."