NO DATE SET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27391, 17 May 1950, Page 6

NO DATE SET

Hearing Of Application GENERAL WAGE ORDER PA WELLINGTON, May 16. A date for the hearing of an application for a general wage order was not set by the Arbitration Court this morning when application for a fixture came before it. Two reasons were given by Mr Justice Tyndall for not 1 making a fixture at present. They were that no reply had yet been received by the Federation of Labour to its representations to the Government on the matter of altering the court’s power dealing with wage orders, and that the Arbitration Court had not been officially advised of the Government’s abolition of subsidies. An application for a general wage order was made by the New Zealand Federated Furniture and Related Trades Industrial Association _of Workers under the Economic Stabilisation Regulations, 1950. , Postponement Sought The president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, Mr A. W. Croskery, on behalf of the applicant union, said a number of things had happened since the application was lodged. “It is common knowledge that we have approached the Government asking it to alter the regulations bearing on the court’s powers to deal with such applications,” said Mr Croskery. “ We are waiting to hear what the Government has to say. It would be unfair to the people concerned and unfair to the court itselT if we were forced to go on with the application at present,” said Mr Croskery. “We ask that the application be held over until the party concerned can approach the court again with representatives of the other side and come to a decision.” Employers Concur “In view of what Mr Croskery said, it would be unreasonable to proceed with the application.” said the assistant secretary of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, Mr J. R. Hanlon, who appeared for the employers. “If the Federation of Labour has approached the Government and has not yet had a reply, we do not wish to embarrass them in any way. However, we would like the matter disposed of as soon as possible.” Mr Justice Tyndall said that when the matter was clear the applicant could approach the court again for a fixture. Interim Order The Minister of Labour, Mr Sullivan, said this afternoon that representations had already been made to the Government by the Federation of Labour, and the question of an interim order was receiving immediate consideration. He felt sure the Government would see that no section of workers suffered an injustice through being compelled to submit to a final decision by the Arbitration Court before they were fairly in a position to present their case.