THE SEAMEN AND THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13586, 7 May 1906, Page 5

THE SEAMEN AND THE ARBITRATION COURT.

ANOTHER STATEMENT BY MR

BELCHER.

In tho course or a spoeeli in replying to tho toast of "Kindred Societies" at the Amalgamated Society of Railway Sen-ants' smoke concert on Saturday evening Mr W. Belcher congratulated the socioty on the concessions it had reoontlv gained, and then expressed regret that the Seamen's Union had not been so fortunate in ita efforts to obtain an improvement in the conditions under which its members worked. In the course of his remarks Mr Belcher slated that if tho 6eainen could not get justice from a tribunal set up to give them justice then tliey would get justice bv their own hands. At the present moment the seamen, of Sew Zealand was incenscd at the decision given in connection with their late dispute. What their methods would he to get what they Believed to be justice he was, not prepared to say at. present, but he could say that the Atvard delivered by Mr Justice Chapman feo months ago would .be pretty severely turned insido out before two years were gone. Tho Seamen's Ur.ion would leave no stone unturned to liavo certain portions of that award set aside on the ground that? it conflicted with statutory law. Tho worst blow they had received was in tho decision given at Auckland a few weeks ago. Instead of the seamen participating in the prosperity of tho country and tho welllinown prosperity attached to most of the shipping business throughout Now Zealand, the Arbitration Court had gone out of its way in Auckland to give tho shipowner the right to what wero known as second class firemen, and allow them to go on board shin at £5 .per month, whereas (■ho ordinary wage was from £8 10s to £9 10s; that w« a reduction of £3 10s per month in the men's wage. Under the present condition of things'in New Zealand, where everything was flourishing, and' where employers wero in a position to givo concessions, when the Arbitration Court allowed shipowners to reduce wages by £3 10s per month it was a shame, and the workers of New, Zealand would liaive to turn to somo other method if tliey ooidd not get justice from the Arbitration Court. So far as ho was concerned he was no respecter of persons, and it mattered not to him whether it was a judge of the Arbitration Court, tho Premier, or the Government, when anyone did an injustice ho was prepared to say wfcero he thought the injustice had been done. There were a great many people, especially the representatives of tho press, who surrounded members of the Supremo Court bench with a sort of divinity that was supposed to hedge round a king, but he had no such respect a 6 the newspaper people had.