STRIKE OVER

Southland Times, Issue 19461, 28 January 1925, Page 7

STRIKE OVER

SHIPS TO BE MANNED. GREAT RUSH TO GET WORK. ARBITRATION COURT AWARD OBEYED. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, January 27. (Received January 27, 11.5 p.m.). A mass meeting of the Seamen’s Union decided to observe the Federal Arbitration Court’s /Award and go to the Marine shipping office to be picked up. There was such a crush at the office after the decision had been reached that the masters were able to engage all the required crews. All the idle ships will be manned on Wednesday. BRISBANE, January 27. The seamen have commenced manning the idle ships. MELBOURNE, January 27. A meeting of the seamen to-day decided to abide by the Arbitration Court’s Awatd and commenced manning the vessels. SYSTEM OF ARBITRATION. MACHINERY FOR SETTLEMENT IMPERFECT. LESSONS FROM THE MARITIME STRIKE. MELBOURNE, January 27. Speaking at a luncheon, Mr S. M. Bruce said that the outstanding fact that emerged from the maritime strike was that the machinery for the peaceful settlement of industrial disputes, as it stood at present, was imperfect and ineffective. It fell far short of achieving the purpose for which it was created. Mr Bruce said that the Government would not hesitate to take any action necessary by which a solution of this most pressing problem would be secured, however drastic the changes involved or however great the political risks. Greater recognition should be given by law to the labour unions, and more ample provision made for their conduct and management. “The greatest defect of the Arbitration system,” said Mr Bruce, “is that both sides are not always prepared to abide by the decision of the Court, and the Court is constitutionally powerless to enforce its decisions. It is easy to make the employer observe certain conditions and to pay the stipulated wage, but it is impossible, in the present circumstances, to make the employees work under those conditions, or to accept that wage; so arbitration, unless it is voluntarily accepted, applies only to one side. Such a state of things is manifestly unjust, and must inevitably lead to the abandonment of the principle of arbitration unless a remedy can be found.”