OUR. LNDUSTRIAL LAWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 269, 13 October 1932, Page 6

OUR. LNDUSTRIAL LAWS.

Tex amendment to the Industriali Conciliation and Arbitration Act, j which Mr J. McCombs, the mem-j ber for Lyttelton, introduced inj the House of Representatives yesterday, should have the earnest attention of members of Parliament and the general public. The new Bill, if passed into law, j will enable a dispute 10 be re- ■ ferred to the Arbitration Court | at the request of either of the j parties concerned, and it simply: means nullifying the effect ox the: legislation passed last session ini which extended powers were j given to the Conciliation Conn-: oils to deal with industrial dis-' putes. Everyone knows how bit-; terly the industrial legislation j was fought by the Labour! Party, who accused the Gov-| eminent of having destroyed the Arbitration Act._ If Mr Me-j Combs’ measure is carried it will ; practically place the Arbitrationj Court on its old basis, and mini- - raise the usefulness of the Con- j dilation Councils. The operations | of the Arbitration Court have for; years created dissatisfaction, its; tendency being to increase j awards despite the obviously bad : times which were rapidly approaching and so acute had the bositkm become that the Government in the interests of the Do- J minion was compelled to alter the' industrial laws in the direction;

of encouraging conciliation and minimising the operations of the Court. It may be accepted as a foregone conclusion that Hr McCombs;' measure will be stoutly resisted by the Government and in that event its fate need not be stressed. Though the Bill was "'talked out’’ in the House yesterday it is Hr McCombs' intention to revive the measure at an early date, so that if the idea has been formed that the matter was finally disposed of yesterday it is quite an erroneous impression.