Industrial Disputes Settlement

Northern Advocate, 28 July 1939, Page 11

Industrial Disputes Settlement

[Per Press Association. Copyright.} WELLINGTON, This Day. The Attorney-General, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, yesterday expressed the Government's concern about the need lor an improvement of the existing mechanism for dealing with industrial disputes. Mr Mason was replying to a deputation representing the National Council of the New Zealand Labourers’ Federation, which waited upon him in regard to the builders and general labourers’ award and the- operation of the Arbitration Court. Mr Mason said the Government would use its best endeavours to devise some means of effecting improvements. ■' Appeals From Court. The question whether something in’ the nature of appeals from Arbitration Court decisions should be brought in was ihteresting, - and would be considered by the Government: in trying to devise an improvement in the existing system. Referring fo the question of strikes. Mr Mason said strikes might be instituted under great provocation, but he coulci not agree with the proposition that the existence of a strike showed that the provocation was great. I£ was known that loyalty among workers might cause a strike to spread where the original reason for it was microscopic. “The proposition that every strike justifies itself cannot be admitted for a moment,’’ Mr Mason said.