THE ARBITRATION COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18380, 19 October 1921, Page 7

THE ARBITRATION COURT

AN AMENDING BILL. (Fhom Ora Own Cobbespondent.) WELLINGTON, October 18. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to-day by Vice-regal Message Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) apked the Minister of Labour in what direction it was proposed to atoend the principal Act. The Hon. G. J. Anderson replied that it was designed to try and smooth out the difficulty that had arisen lately owing to the resignation of one member, the re-elec-tion of that member, and the statement that he did not intend to take his seat. After the introduction the Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the _ Labour Bills Committee, the Minister stating that the matter was one of urgency, and that he. wished the Bill to go before the committee to-morrow.

The measure itself is of three clauses. By one of them section 66 of the principal Act, which' prescribes the conditions for tho appointment of nominated and actingnominated members of the court, ia to have the following sub-clause added; “The Governor-General may request industrial unions to recommend persons to be nominated members or acting-nominated members of the court, whenever he thinks fit, notwithstanding that there may at the time of such request be no vacancy. But no appointment shall bo made unless and until a casual vacancy has occurred, or the term of tho office of any nominated member or acting-nominated member has expired.” Comprehensive provisions are also made for the conditions in which the actingnominated member may bo called upon to act. They are as follow: (1) If at any time a vacancy exist in. tho office of a nominated member of the court, or if any nominated member is. not present at any sitting of .the court, ‘the judge many summon the acting-nominated member appointed on the recommendation of the industrial unions of employers, or of workers, as the case may be, to attend the sittings of the court and to act as nominated member during such time as there is no nominated member present, appointed on the recommendation of suoh unions, and while so acting tho acting-nominated member shall have, and may exercise, all the powers, functions, and privileges, and shall perform all the duties of the nominated member for whom he is acting. (2) If at any time, when an actingnominated member ia required to attend the sittings of the court, a vacancy exists in the office of such acting-nominated member, or the acting-nominated member is not present at ■ any such sitting, tho GovernorGeneral may, on the recommendation of the judge, appoint such other person to bb temporary nominated member as, in his opinion, will effectively represent the industrial unions of employers, or of the workers, as the case may be. (3) The judge may thereupon summon such temporary ‘ nominated member to attend the sittings of the court, and to act as the nominated member during such time as there is present no nominated, member, or acting-nominated member, appointed on the recommendation of the industrial unions of employers or of tho workers, as tho case may be, and while so acting the temporary nominated member shall have, and may exercise, all the powers, functions, and privileges, and shall perform all the duties of the nominated member for whom ho i§ acting. > (4) When the nominated member or acting-nominated member, as the case may be, is again present at tho sittings of the court, the acting-nominated member or tho temporary nominated member, as tho case may be, 'shall cease to act, provided that, if such acting-nominated member or temporary nominated member is then engaged on the hearing of a case, the judge may require him to complete such hearing before ceasing to act. . • • (5) When any acting-nominated member or temporary nominated member is acting . as nominated member, ho shall bo paid a salary for the time during which he is so acting at the rate provided for the nominated member, (6) During the absence of any nominated member he may bo paifl such rate of Salary (if any) as the Minister thinks fit, not exceeding in any case the rate fixed by tho principal Act. Section 71 of the principal Act, which prescribed the conditions which render the nominated' member of the court disqualified from continuing in his position, is extended .by adding to these reasons that of absence “without tho consent of the judge” from four consecutive sittings ofthe court.