“Merely Wasting Their Time”

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 144, 20 June 1936, Page 4

“Merely Wasting Their Time”

FORMATION OF GUILDS USELESS, SAYS MINISTER

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night

‘‘Those firms and workers wiho arc forming guilds with a view to evading the new industrial legislation arc merely wasting their time and energy,” said the Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Armstrong) in an interview tonight. “Unless I am .misinterpreting the law they will find themselves subject to industrial awards. I have received many communications from all parts of New Zealand about the practice of certain firms and some of their employees with the advice of solicitors forming guilds in order to evade the amended industrial legislation,” said the Minister. “They form guilds, then meet and make an agreement which is registered under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, 1913. It appears on the surface that such agreements are binding and will be exempt from the terms of industrial awards made under the amended Industrial Conciliation .and Arbitration Act. Till esc people think that they, can get outside the amended legislation,” continued Mr. Armstrong, “but as far as my interpretation is concerned I think that they cannot get outside the new legislation at all. I will go further and say that they are wasting their time. I have discussed tlie matter with my colleagues in Cabinet and 1 have legislation ready to deal with the situation so that such agreements made under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, 1913, will be declared null and void. ”