THE ARBITRATION COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIVIII, Issue 17684, 20 January 1921, Page 8

THE ARBITRATION COURT.

ME. FRAZER'S APPOINTMENT. The appointment of Mr. F. V. Frazer as President of the Arbitration Cotirt has been favourably received in Wellington. Labour crcles are gratified that the Government no longer regards the Arbitration Court as a stepping-stone to d>he Supreme Court The majority oi those Labour men. who are interested in the Court profess to know very little of Mr. Frazer personally, but they think his experience as a magistrate—a duty which brought him. into close touch with what they term the rank and file—will fit him very Well for the position of President of the Arbitration Court. "Mr. Frazer's first task is to restore confidence in the Arbitration Court," said one union secretary. "The court sank in the estimation of the workers when it reduced the last bonus from 9s to 3s, and this will place Mr. Frazer at a disadvantage. However, so long as he is prepared to" give Labour a patient hearing and so long as he will give the utmost consideration to the cases taken before him, he will find that we will not cavil at hie decisions. We merely ask for a logical reason for all decisions. We have not received that in the past." Several employers stated that the appointment of Mr. Frazer gave them complete satisfaction. They had been favourably impressed with his fairness in the capacity of a magistrate, and they felt that his' study of economics would help him materially in arriving at decisions which would be acceptable to all. The announcement that Mr. Frazer will devote his whole time to the Arbitration Court is welcome to both sides. It is felt that more regular sittings of the Court are now assured.