A CONVERT TO ARBITRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15123, 14 October 1912, Page 4

A CONVERT TO ARBITRATION.

MR. HAVELOCK WILSON'S VIEWS.

[FIIOM otnt own comiespoxdext.] London, September 7. A statement on compulsory arbitration made at the Trades Congress by Mr. Havelock Wilson, the Labour leader, will be of interest in New Zealand, Mr. Wilson having been converted to the principle of compulsory arbitration in trade disputes as a. result of his recent visit to Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Wilson said he had steadily voted against compulsory arbitration year after year, lint he was going to vote for it now. He had been to Australia, and New Zealand, and had had ample opportunity of watching the work of compulsory arbitration in those countries. After giving tho matter full and careful consideration, ho had come to the conclusion that the compulsory arbitration law now in force in Australia, ami New Zealand might with great advantage be applied to this country. He emphatically denied Mr. Harvey's statement that tho Act had broken down. There were in those countries, as there were here, leaders and leaders. There were men who went before the Arbitration Court with no more, idea of what they were going there for than the man in this moon. They went there with their case badly prepared, and the, result generally was that they came off very badly. On the other hand, unions which had capable leader.:-, who would take the trouble to prepare their case properly, came out on top in nine <-asc-s out. of ten. He could cite, cases in which well-organised unions had done magnificently. The seamen in Australia gut £10 a month in place of £5 a month in this country, and. most remarkable of all, sailors in Australia were working on the eight hours' principle. In New Zealand there was some feeling against the judge, but not. in Australia. The judge in Australia had the confidence of almost everybody, but in New Zealand the judge was a. little bit prejudiced. Still, whenever the unions went before that judge with their case properly prepared they had nothing to complain of.