ARBITRATION COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17700, 8 February 1921, Page 6

ARBITRATION COURT.

. NEW PRESIDENT WELCOMED. PERSONAL TRIBUTES PAID, FITNESS FOR HIGH OFFICE. A welcome was extended to Mr. Jus- ? dice Frazer", President of the Arbitration • Court, by the Auckland Bench, Bar, and i representatives of Employers and Labour ■ at the opening of the sittings ,of the • Court yesterday. Mr. H. P. Richmond, president of the i Auckland. Law Society, in welcoming His Honor on behalf of the legal profession, said that as a magistrate Mr. • Frazer had displayed a very high degree of judicial temperament ana evenness of , temper. His present position -was one I the importance of which it .would be very hard to exaggerate, and in which it ; was essential that His Honor should have ■ the confidence of the entire community, i They felt he had that to begin with, in ! consequence of his work, and . they felt sure he would retain it. The j question might be asked by some, "Why . appoint a lawyer as president of an Industrial Court?" Apart from any other considerations, the legal profession stood i between the opposing industrial forces. • As a whole the profession was net at all one of the vested interests, and there- , fore was not biased, but looked, he .thought, fairly at the demands of the workers and also at the demand of the emplovers that the/ should get fair work from their men. Mr. A. Rosser, senior Labour advocate 1 in Auckland, said the presidents in the > past had laid the foundations of; the Arbitration Court and of the Act well j and truly. The original Act was framed without any precedent whatever, and it 1 fell to the first president and his associates to establish a foundation for the i succeeding Acts, which had been quoted ' all over the world. Labour believed that Mr. Justice Frazer would carry out his . responsibilities well and truly, in the i same manner that past presidents had . done. Whatever the difficulties previous • pre6identa had had to contend with i His Honor's difficulties would be enhanced by the fact that we were now on i the eve of a lowering of prices. As'Labi our men he and his colleagues would gi.ve ' him all the assistance iiT their power. Mr. A. Spencer, president of the Auck* ■ land Employeis' Association, said:—"l . am glad to welcome you as President of the Arbitration Court." Mr. Justice Cooper, as one of the early presidents of the Arbitration Court, wished His Honor success in his nerw position. He believed His Honor would make an excellent president, for he had . the ability of being able to see a case from an entirely impartial point of view. \ Mr. Justice Stringer, the retiring president of the Court, after expressing pleasure at welcoming His Honor, said: " To be quite frank, it would have been i a relief to me to have relinquished my office to anybody whom I found courageous enough to assume the very heavy responsibility that this office entails." Mr. Justice Frazer had had a wide exi perience both as a magistrate and latterly as assistant-public service commissioner, and had displayed tact, discrimination, and judgment—qualities for the exercise of which he would have ample field in his new position. Mr. Justice Frazer, in replying, said it was to him a pleasing circumstance that he should commence the public discharge of the duties of his office in Auckland, where he had spent the greater part of his official life. He felt that this was no mere formal reception, but a greeting and a welcome from friends. The assurance of their confidence and good will would act as a stimulus to him in getting over difficulties and responsibilities placed upon him. He was deeply conscious of the fact that he was following a long line of distinguished Judges, and it would be b's endeavour to uphold and maintain so far as in him the high traditions established by them in their wisdom, courage, and truth, which had been balanced by under-, standing and sympathy. He realised, as they all did, that the position of Judge of that Court was a somewhat difficult one, and for some time to come they might expect that it would be difficult. Reference had been made by one of the speakers to Ithe fact that he was a student of economics. While this was true, he was not wedded to any school of economics, but preserved an open mind upon this, as well as on other questions.