EMPLOYERS’ BOOKS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12539, 28 June 1901, Page 4

EMPLOYERS’ BOOKS.

The little discussion in tho Arbitration Court yesterday concerning the inspection of employers’ books came to a satisfactory oondnaion,. and wo are sure that after Mr Justice Cooper’s dear explanation of tie powers and attitude of tire Court there! "will be no further opposition to this wise and necessary provision of the Conciliatipn and Arbitration Act. Obviously, if the Court had no power to compel the production of books, employers could; plead on all occasions that their trade was not able to stand the strain of increased wages and improved conditions of work, and if the onus of proof rested' with the workers there would be an end of the matter. Unless .comprehensive and accurate financial statements ora put in by the masters the Court has no mean® of arriving at the true condition of an industry. The members of the Court ore sworn to secrecy, and are directly forbiddten by the Act to make public information given them in confidence, so that the private interests of employers arc fully protected. Moreover, the Court has made a wise and liberal con- _ cession in consenting to inspect the books in the counting-houses, instead of compelling their production in Court, and the workers have assisted in the removal of all difficulties by trusting entirely to the discretion of the Court. The provision,, therefore, cannot be regarded as a harsh or unnecessary one. The workers, of course, have no means of ascertaining the real condition of any industry. At best they can only judge by the amount of work done, the number of hands employed and the apparent profit, and even a careful and laborious calculation on these data might be absolutely unreliable. The Court, therefore, is compelled to rule that when employers plead the condition of the industry as a defence they must substantiate it. As we explained the other day, .the employers have their remedy in bad times, because they can apply to the Court for a reduction of wages, and if they would only realise that the tribunal is established for their benefit as well es for that of the workers we should hear less of their illogical objections to the system.