UNION AGENT REBUKED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 18

UNION AGENT REBUKED.

ARBITRATION COURT INCIDENT. CHRISTCHURCH, Jmie 30. There was a wordy passage at arms in the Arbitration Court to-day between Mr Justice Frazer and Mr A. Cook, general secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, who appeared for the employees in a claim by the shearers and shed hands for a Dominion award. Mr Cook, in outlining the claims of the crutchers, said that this was the third time that an attempt had been made to get an award for crutching. The court had previously refused to make an award en the grounds of the variation of soil and climatic conditions, etc., but no valid reason for refusing had been advanced, and it was now contended that the court had no right further to deprive those workers of the protection of an award. If the court still refused to fix at least a minimum rate for that work, then the union would immediately petition the Government. “I do not care twopence what you do,” interrupted his Honor. “You have no right to put up to this court what seems like a threat. I know you well enough, Mr Cook, to believe that you did not mean that in the way of a threat. The Government is outside our sphere altogether. It would be a very sad thing for the court to sit back and consider what the Government would think before making an award. It cuts both ways, you see. No court can be influenced by threats. If you can give us reasons in favour of what you ask, the court will consider them, and may act upon them.” Mr Cook: There are from 3000 to 4000 men in New Zealand deprived of an award. These men are at the mercy of the employers, and are being exploited as no others in the country are at the present time. His Honor: I think I have a grip of tne position. Going through the country one can see sheep crutchea in many different ways. The court has no wish to keep the crutchers out of an award. We know what the difficulties are, and we want you to show us how they can be overcome. My firm opinion is tnat this mat* r at least should be settled by a conference between the employers and the employees. The court knows what the technical difficulties are. Mr Cook: We do not, sir. _ The employers absolutely refused to discuss this matter. For the employers. Mr W. H. Nichol said that they were still of the opinion that the difficulties were too great for a flat minimum rate. His Honor: Yes. Such a rate would be too low for some districts. Returning to bin address Mr Cook said that there was another clause that his Honor would probably pull him up upon. "Better cut it out then," said his Honor.