AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 255, 23 September 1930, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS.

QUESTION OF 4.WARDS

COURT APPLICATION

MELBOURNE, Sept. 22. An application is being made before the Commonwealth Arbitration Court for the setting aside of all awards affecting railway men in the Eastern States in order to permit of economies and retrenchment. There was a dramatic development to-day, when Mr Evatt, K-C., asked leave to intervene ou behalf of tne Commonwealth Government to oppose the application. Mr Evatt argued that the whole system of arbitration was imperilled. The Government was vitally interested, seeing that full effect had been given to its industrial legislation, including the .maintenance of awards, and that if this were not done a position of national emergency worse than that now existing might be created. Mr Evatt alluded to the possibility of a severe industrial upheaval,, and submitted that if the State rainvay systems were allowed to work without awards, then similar applications were bound to arise in regard to private employers. . Mr Evatt’s application to intervene was deferred until Monday next. Judge Dethridge said that the Court was not concerned with the rights of the Commonwealth or the States, much less with the political aspects of the case. It was concerned only with the rights of the Railway Commissioners as employers and their employees arising under the awards. The Court was equally conscious of the fact that the setting aside ot awards might cause discontent and possibly lead to a stoppage of operations.