THE LABOUR ATTACK ON THE ARBITRATION COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11999, 23 June 1902, Page 5

THE LABOUR ATTACK ON THE ARBITRATION COURT.

[hY TKT,K'jß.\r>ir. own* CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. Speaking in regard to the recent attack on the Arbitration Court, Mr. Atkinson, M.H.R., in addressing Lis constituents, remarked upon the failure of the Conciliation Boards to conciliate, and said that for some reason or other they had wandered away far from the purpose for which they were Instituted. Mr. W. P. Beeves, iii introducing the Bill, .said he thought 99 per cent, of the cases would be settled by the Boards without appeal to the Court, and he evidently thought that the Act. would be failing in its purpose unless something like that proportion was reached. But there was only one Board in the colony where even a majority of the cases which come before it had been settled, and that was 'Auckland. It was, said Mr. Atkinson, very regrettable to see the change on the part of some of the workers with regard to the Act. For some time it was looked upon as their great standby and bulwark, but recently it was referred to as a " curse." Ho far as he could tell the dissatisfaction was limited to- Wellington, and he did not suppose it was general in Wellington. With regard to the antagonism of the Painters' Union, he was bound to say it seemed to rest on a proper basis. They had undoubtedly a real grievance. (Hear, hear.) It was a most curious action that the Arbitration Court had taken. But, assuming the very worst, it was a mistake to make personal attacks ami to talk of wrecking the whole system.