ARBITRATION COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20420, 23 November 1929, Page 17

ARBITRATION COURT.

FUNCTIONS IN AUSTRALIA. SUGGESTED EXTENSION. The Assistant Minister for Industry in tho Australian Cabinet, Mr. Beasley, has expressed the opinion that there should be a reconstruction of the Arbitration Act, and that the Court should consider profits, markets, and other economic factors.

Replying to a deputation from the railway workers' branch of the Australian Workers' Union last week, Mr. Beasley said the Government would have to come forward with a new scheme to meet tho changed conditions. Personally, lie did not favour any mere "tinkering" with tho Arbitration Act, but supported its entire reconstruction.

Tho deputation, which applied for some form of relief work for unemployed members of the union, was told by tho Minister that in view of the deficit it was unlikely that any vigorous works policy could be undertaken for the present. The Government hoped, however, by giving manufacturers effective tariff protection, to open up increased avenues of employment.

Questioned subsequently as to his opinions of the arbitration system, Mr. Beasley said ho took tho view that tho present system had outlived its usefulness. He did not advocate the abolition of the Court as a Court. Indeed, ho

thought some central tribunal was necessary. The functions of the Federal Arbitration Court should not, however, be confined to questions of wages and hours. The Court's jurisdiction, tho Minister added, should embrace such contingent factors as market conditions abroad, the incidenco of profits, and tho various economic considerations which affected trade and industry. This would doubtless necessitate the establishment of additional machinery, embracing various committees, but the result would certainly restoro tho confidence of tho workers in the arbitration system. Nothing would be done, however, until tho Ministry had thoroughly investigated tho whole position in collaboration with employers and employees, whose views on tho matter wcro important.