Political Notes.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7356, 2 November 1898, Page 4

Political Notes.

(by telegraph.)

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, November 1. CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION. The committee of the Upper House will, I understand, lay a report on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill on the table of the Council, tomorrow. I hear that the report will probably recommend important alterations, amongst others the excision of sub-clause 2 of clause 3, giving a Court power to order the employment of unionists in preference to non-unionists,* and sub-clause 3 of clause 5, providing that an employer shall be compelled to satisfy the Court that' the dismissal of any unionist or workman benefiting by an award was not made on the ground of hia

membership of a union, or of his being entitled to the benefit of suoh award. AMENDMENTS TO THE STOCK BILL. The amendments made by the Stock Committee of the Council in the Stock Act Amendment Bill include a settlement of the differences between inspector and owner on the assessment of compensation by arbitration. THE WAGES BILL. The following are the reasons assigned by the Committee of the Legislative Council for insisting on its amendments in the Wages Protection Bill(1) That the Bill as passed by the Lower House involved interference with the freedom of action of employers and workers, such as nothing but clear proof of the existence at the present time of great abuses could justify. (2) That the evidence taken by the Labor Bills Committee shews that no such abuse exists, and the House of Representatives passed the Bill without taking evidence. (3) That the practice of collective insurance againßt accidents is beneficial to the workers and employers alike.