ARBITRATION AWARDS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 109, 29 June 1911, Page 5

ARBITRATION AWARDS.

DIFFICULTIES IN AUSTRALIA. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. United Press Association. Sydney, June 28. Mr-; Mitchell, general secretary of the Engine Drivers’ and Firemen’s Association, referring to the High Court judgment regarding registration under the Commonwealth ’Arbitration Act, asks the Federal Government to amend the Act in order to overcome the difficulty created, and clearly to define the meaning of an industry. The:judgment, he said, rendered invalid a large number of industrial agreements, and if they were interferred with trouble would ensue. Although opposed to strikes, that was the only method left if they were deprived of the right of arbitration. It was possible that the Governor-Gon-oral might proclaim such an association as this, an organisation under the Act. If that was done the-trou-ble would bo averted. Referring to t)ie different Courts, he stated that it cost £IOO less to obtain an' award in tho Federal Court, covering the whole of Australia, than in the State Court for tho State only. JUDGE’S IMPORTANT REMARKS. •, (Per Press Association.) . Wellington, June 28. Tho Arbitration Court continued its sittings to-day. 1 Judgment was reserved in a compensation case brought by the executors of Alexander McHutcheon, road ovprsoer to the Castlepoint County Copiicil, a claim of £SOO, and £2O fiitioral expenses. Tho deceased met imli a' fatal accident while driving from his home to the county office. The,' defence claimed that deceased did not meet with, the accident while engaged in the course of his omploymopt,. as a, worker was not employed till ho started work. The hearing was commenced of the dispute between the Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union and employers. Mr Maddison, for 1 the union, said the ffiain points in which the claims differed from the old award were in regard. to wages, preference and exemption. The union was seeking for a minimum wage of Is 8d per hour of a week of 40 hours. His Honor: “Is that put forward US a serious demand, Mr Maddison?” ! ;Mr Maddison: “Yes, your Honor; we make that demand seriously.” ; :His Honor: “You ask the Court to mcroase the rate by 4d per hour?” : Mr Maddison: “What is demanded hy.the union is, we consider, justified Ijy- the position of things at the pre80pt time.” The present case, he iveht on to say, was tho same as was bpfbro the Court in June, 1909, the Siime dispute and the same demands. |Je spoke at length on the subject o| the average earnings being greatly reduced by periods of unemployment. ! .His Honor : “Ought wo to take the question of unemployment into the platter of framing a minimum wage at pj.P'Canlt you see that if the miniinum were raised for that reason tjfore would be a great rush to tho of the carpenters and joiners qf a large number .of men? This fiiust increase the proportion of uneinployment. Then you will i ask the jdourt to raise the minimum to 2s per. hour, and so on.” Tho Court, bb;,added, was not able to provide an insurance fund for unemployment. That was for Parliament to do. ; The evidence for the union was then Heard.' The .case will be continued toniorrow. ■ ■ - ■' ■ •