THE ARBITRATION COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18761, 15 January 1923, Page 3

THE ARBITRATION COURT

WORKE RS’ R ERR ESEX TATK)N. ALLIANCE OF LABOUR SEEKS A CHANGE. AX ATTACK OX MU REARDON' STATEMENT IX REPLY. iFhom Ode Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. January 15. Two interesting manifestos relating in the candidates for the positions of workers’ representative and workers’ deputy representative on the Arbitration Court have been issued to the onions. The first is <i circular sent out by the Alliance of Labour urging the unions to accord then’ support to Messrs H. Hunter and W. E. Sill, who arc proposed for (he first, and second positions rospeetvely. 'lho alliance says:—■“During the past 12 months not only has the court embarked on a policy of drastic wage reductions, but, when making now awards, in many instances it has so altered the working conditions that the earnings of the workers under the award have been considerably reduced. In this way a double reduction has been imposed on the workers affected. This is especially so in the oases of the minors, the waterside workers, and the seamen. . As a result of the reductions by the general order under the legislation of 1921-22, then? is a deficiency in the purchasing power of the presont-dav wage as compared with that of 1914 of from 10 to 20 per cent These things have been done by the court without 'one word of public protest h® ll '!’ made by the present representative of the workers on tno court. For this this alliance urges that a change should be made in the constitution of the court as far as the workers’ representative is concerned Failure on the part of the workers to make this change can be taken only as an endorsement of the past actions of the court, and an invitation for it to make further wages cuts and to further mutilate the working conditions of the awards. Nominate and cast your votes for tne alliance candidate, _ Hiram Hunter, as workers’ representative, and William <( E. Sill as deputy workers’ representative. Mr M. J. Reardon, who is a member of the court at present, is the author of the second manifesto. Ho announces his intention of becoming a candidate for reappointmeut. and justifies bis claims with the following statement; —

“I am aware," he says, “that it is thought in some Quarters that the court has dealt somewhat harshly with the workers m the matter of wage adjustments. It is only fair that I should point out that during my term of office no general reductions have been made except in accordance with the downward movement in the cost, or living. In only one or two cases where a higher rale than the court’s standard rate had been temporarily attained was any further reduction ordered, and even then the court’s standard was maintained m spite of strongly pressed claims by the employers for further reductions on the ground of financial stress. As against f‘J®. B ®" there have been scores of cases in which applications to reduce the court’s standard have been rejected, and scores of cases m which the rates and conditions have been raised to the court’s present standard, winch I am safe in saying with a Rill knowledge of current wages and conditions in other countries, is as high as—and probably higher than —anv other in the world. Tins has not. bcon attained without a cleprrcG of opposition of which the workers of New Zealand can have no conception. While I am naturally loath to sec_ a fall in monev wages, vet. generally speaking, am forced to conclude that the cost of living adjustments made up to the present .were unavoidable, and I consider that I would servo the workers best by opposing any reduction of the court’s standards, and by doing my best to preserve the purchasing power of the wages paid rather than by making a futile attempt to oppose a cost of living adjustment which was provided for by the law. and which still maintained the purchasing power of the workers' wages.’ , Messrs C. Renn and H. Hunter have also issued personal appeals. (Per, United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 13. Mr M. J. Reardon is a candidate for reappointment as the workers’ representative on the Arbitration Court. Mr T. Blood worth (Auckland). Mr C. Bonn (Christchurch'. and Mr L. F. F.vans (Dunedin' are also candidates. The Alliance of Labour has issued a circular iindu"- support for Mr IT. Hunter and Mr W. E. Sill for the positions of representative and deputy respectively.