THE ARBITRATION COURT

Otago Witness, Issue 3942, 1 October 1929, Page 9

THE ARBITRATION COURT

“WAGE FIXING TRIBUNAL.” MORE ELASTICITY ESSENTIAL. AUCKLAND, September 20. “It is a matter for regret that the Arbitration Court cannot relax" some of its rigidity and lie a little more elastic in its awards to enable employers to meet falling prices and the changing trade conditions which are taking place. If this were done it would be a step towards more rapid recovery, and unemployment would be considerably curtailed. Unfortunately, the court has shown very little inclination to meet the position. In fact, some critics are of the opinion that the court has degenerated into a wage and conditions fixing tribunal regardless of production costs or the earning power of workers in the various industries.” In these terms Mr Albert Spencer, the president, addressed himself to to-day's annual meeting of the Auckland Provincial Employers’ Association. “This wage fixing court,” he added, “ only directly benefits a small fraction of the wage earners of the country. The rest of the workers, who come under no awards, get no direct benefit from the court. On the contrary, the purchasing power of their wages is reduced. There is a great number of people with fixed incomes, such as old-age pensioners, widows, clergymen, shareholders, ami property owners, who find it almost impossible to live on the greatly reduced purchasing power of their incomes. The same thing is happening m Australia under the Arbitration Act, but there, when wages are increased, the employers immediately make application to the Customs authorities for a higher duty on importations. In New Zealand the original intention was that the court should be a court of appeal to decide disputes which could not be adjusted in conciliation. The rise in wages was simply a manifestation of the general rise in prices. Prices have fallen in some cases to below pre-war level, and the court is finding itself unable to reduce wages accordingly. It has been found that many employers bound bycourt awards have had to abar, ion the manufacture to certain lines as the margin of profit had disappear-d and a loss was being made. It would appear that if the court attempted to increase the hours of work or reduce wages the workers will not obey it. The 'recent strikes in Australia and the consequent suggestion to do away with the Arbitration Court altogether" is a warning of what might happen in New Zealand if a similar course is followed. If the court maintains the rate of wages at the present uneconomic level and the people find that they are paying more for work than they can get it done for by those working on their own, the whole system will collapse under its own weight.”