LABOUR LAWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23669, 29 November 1938, Page 10

LABOUR LAWS

THE MINISTER'S PROPOSAL TIME FOR AN OVERHAUL DISCIPLINE IN THE UNIONS (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, Nov. 28. Obsolete and anomalous provisions of the industrial law will be reviewed in a proposal to consolidate the Industrial Conciliation and \rbitration Act, described by the Minister of Labour (Mr H. T. Armstrong) in an interview. While explaining that there was no suggestion of altering the principle or of making • ny drastic alterations to the Act, the Minister said an overhaul was necessary. He hoped to bring down appropriate legislation during the approaching session of Parliament. Although the Act had been patched up from time to time, said the Minister, a stage had been reached when an overhaul was essential, as there were a number of anomalies which acted against both the employers and the workers. There was no intention of departing from the principles of arbitration. Rather was it desired to have them more generally applied. " Compulsory arbitration should give the country some guarantee of industrial peace, and we must look to the labour organisations of the Dominion to assist in bringing about this result," Mr Armstrong said. "Amendments to the Act may be necessary to give trade unions the powers of dealing effectively with any unruly element.' that are inclined to eak away at the slightest provocation, more particularly when there are constitutional means of settling any differences that may arise." Mr Armstrong referred to the shortage of skilled tradesmen, and to the fact that very few apprentices had been trained over a period of five or six years. Handicaps were imposed by the antiquated apprenticeship legislation and, although the adult apprentices' scheme had resulted in 1200 contracts being arranged, more aorjrentices were required. He preferred the training of skilled workers in New Zealand to their importation from overseas, and, as a result, the present legislation was being thoroughly examined with a view to improvement. When the proposals were formulated, the Minister said, they would no doubt be discussed with representatives of the organisations of employers and workers.