POWER OF WIG AND GOWN

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1927, Page 9

POWER OF WIG AND GOWN

ARBITRATION IN AUSTRALIA. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Perth, Nov. 15. Mr. William Brooks, in his presidential address to the central council of the Employers’ Federation, made a strong attack on the existing arbitration and industrial scheme. He said: “I have heard wearisome repetitions from politicians and academic theorists in favour of the get together policy, whilst the inevitable result of our cast iron law court of the industrial system is to further widen the breach between employers and employees and entrust the fortunes of our national and industrial prosperity and development to the whim of judicial authorities, whose unimpeachable integrity is more than counter-balanced by the vagaries of their sentimental and impractical determinations!. The employers are not averse to getting together, but realise that round table conferences are practically futile with the present background of the wig and gown power.” The Queensland and New South Wales industrial movements were almost entirely in the hands of the Communists. The menace of centralised union domination, if unchecked, would exercise a strangle-hold on Australian industry, development and private enterprises. He reviewed the harmful effects of union tactics and suggested as a remedy the transference to the Federal Government of full industrial control (thus securing uniformity), the substitution of conciliation for arbitration, complete organisation of the employers in order that they might negotiate with the employees’ organisations on an equal footing, and a reduction of Federal and State taxation directly affecting primary and secondary industries. He urged the need for complete freedom of negotiation between capital and labour.