THE ARBITRATION ACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13782, 22 June 1908, Page 5

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

'ADVICE TO WORKERS. ' VALUE OF CONFERENCES. ' Ik acknowledging a presentation made to ' ~ him on Saturday by the employees of the ' Auckland branch of the 'Kauri Timber Company, on the occasion of his promotion to the managership of the Sydney branch, ''.Mr. T. H. White, for 17 years " manager of the Auckland mill, made some reference to the Arbitration Act, "The Act," he said, "in my opinion, is a beneficent one, and has been placed on the Statute Book in the interests of the ■■ -worker*, and I consider that it lias done a lot of good for the worki'"■•■.-' er?. The Court consists of a representative from Labour, and one from the '-■' employers, and is presided over by a judge Of the Supreme Court. In a British conntry a judge of the Supreme Court is far '■ removed from political and , other influences, so that in all cases brought before the Court the judgment is fair and impartial. Of course, in some cases, the : ■ awards do not please both sides, but that is because they ask too much. Now, I think you will admit that law-breakers are not desirable colonists. I say emphatically that when a. body of workers, who are working under an award, drop their tools and go out on strike, they break the law, jn'sfc as much as if they deliberately threw a stone through a plateglass window. I sincerely trust, howover, that nothing of this kind will ever - happen to the timber workers. It ever S;;] you have a grievance,' bring it before the employers, who. I am sure, will give you a patient hearing, and try always to settle ■:'■;'■■■■'.•• differences by a conference, as we have so . successfully done in the past. Also continue in future, as you have done in the ' past, to have good men of your own call- .: ing holding the executive offices in your union. If you continue this policy I "do not.think there will ever be any trouble between the timber workers and the em-i's-VsK ployers." V' ;■'."'" ■'.'.