SECOND COURT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 November 1937, Page 8

SECOND COURT

MEASURE PASSED COUNCIL DISCUSSION lFrom Our Own Parliamentary ReporlerJ WELLINGTON. This Day. There was no real objection to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Rill (No. 2) in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, and the measure was passed after several Councillors had commented on it in terms simlar to those used by members of Die Lower House. After the Leader of the Council (the Hon. Mark Fagan) had outlined the provisions of the Bill, the lion. J. McLeod (Taranaki) said that the position in industrial disputes in New Zealand iff the present time required drastic action, but he believed one way of simplifying matters would be to leave industrial disputes to the present Arbitration Court and refer compensation claims to the temporary Court. Mr McLeod said that he did not think that racing clubs could take exception to the provisions bringing them under the Act, but lie could see little reason for the amendment relating to them because most of their employees were either covered by awards or were being paid above award rate The clause relating to them might lead to some minor difficulties, but, on the whole, the Bill was a move in the right direction. The Hon. V. A. Ward (Wellington) said then; was a dear case for action, and the only real complaint lie had to make was that the legislation before them should have been put into operation some months ago. The Hon. W. Perry (Wellington) said that lie considered one Court should deal with disputes while the other heard compensation vises. There was need for a speeding up of the work ot the Court and for that reason it was only right that the Court should be able to delegate its powers to Magistrates from time to time. However, the Magistrates were a hard-working body of men and lie hoped that they would not be overloaded with industrial cases. The only point in the Bill that he objected to. said Mr Perry, was the clause bringing chartered, racing, and other clubs under the Act. When the Bill was in committee lie intended lo vote against that clause. The Hon. B. Martin (Auckland) expressed the opinion that the temporary Court might become a permanent institution. After other Councillors had spoken in favour of the Bill, the Leader replied and said that there were insufficcnt compensalon cases for one Court to be fully occupied with them. However, he believed the time might come when one Court would be busy with disputes while the other was kept fully occupied with compensation cases and any overflow of disputes. Mr Perry gave his voice against clause 6 when the Bill was in Committee, but did not divide the Council and the Bill was passed. The Council rose at 4.10 p.m.