ARBITRATION AMENDMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1932, Page 7

ARBITRATION AMENDMENT

THIRD MEASURE IN HOUSE

EFFORT TO REMOVE ANOMALIES. CANCELLATION OF OLD AWARDS. BALLOT AMONGST EMPLOYERS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Welilngton, Last Night. Introducing the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill (No. 3) in the House of Representatives today Mr. R. McKeen • (Dab., Wellington South) said the object of the measure was to meet a number of anomalies which has arisen as a result of the passing of last session’s Act. The position at present, said Mr. McKeen, was that on the parties failing to reach agreement and declining to refer th© matter to the Court the award became cancelled. Th© Bill provided that before any award could be cancelled a ballot should be taken among the employers to determine whether they desired cancellation to take place. Mr. McKeen said in some instances when the parties had failed to- reach agreement and declined to refer the matter to the Arbitration Court th© old award had been revived. The existing law left it in the hands of a few employers to prevent agreement being reached, whereas it was likely a majority of employers were desirous of a settlement. He instanced the case of the Welilngton butchers, stating that immediately after the failure to arrive at an agreement 75- per cent, of the employers had signed a petition under which they had revived the old award. Mr. S. G. Smith (Co., New Plymouth) Were not the signatures obtained under pressure? . Mr. McKeen: No. Mr. Smith:. Were not some of them threatened with, boycott? Mr. McKeen: Oh, no! Mr, McKeen went on to say the position he had outlined had caused disaffection among some employers, arid he considered if his amendment were accepted it would be possible to bring about a more satisfatcory situation. He hoped th© Minister would take the matter up. The Bill was, read a first time.