ARBITRATION COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13673, 11 April 1908, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT.

EXPERT ASSESSORS NEEDEDMir J. A., Hanan. '^he. raeinber far Irivercargill, lias been giving ih& Southland' News some!c)omments' y pn -the working of the lnd<mrial Co»cjliatiojh dhd Arbitoatiojpi Act. >He had tQO good an opinion of tho intelligence and nion-sense of the New Zealand) workers, he said, to believe that they would c'dnSent to the abolition of thp pr-in-ciple of compulgpry. arbitration. There were d^reciaon&Mn which tlie law needed 'amendment, but no facts had been produced justify tlip repeal of the Act. Mr Hatian qftoted iyith approval the proposals of Mir J.C. Watson, jtgga Australian Lafoottr leader, for the whgtitutiptf of an, Arbitration, CoitrV consisting of a judge l and two export assessors.' Mr Watson believed that in many -eases the 1 ; parties to disputes would be'ebntent £o accept the decision of a- jx^ge si^tin& alone,' but if assess sors were re'tfttir^a-they should.»be experts; and . they should not have permanent appointment*. The advantage of this -system be to* give' the judge tlie assistance of men who had a recent and local knowledge of 'a diftpute. The for Invercargill Boouted the idea that the lay r members pf th«L'J^ew Zealand Court' «at as jndgefc They were. realljut advocates* of the -two opposing.forcesi Jteaaid-r- a> fact sufficiently shdwn by 5 the Method of eledtion. Tiiey were intended r to act aa assessors. They flight to have a knowledge "of the Practical details, of <a tfcide -tbe conditions of whiclf tHey wer© investigating. A man vrtoo" waa appointed a judge was not expected, to represent tho opinions of those responsible frvr Ink selection, Mr Hanah said. Hfr 'was there tp administer »%he law fearlessly and without favour. This was. liewa^.bou'nd to say, the practice Lof • the ■ judges Mw free New Zealand, It was absurd to say* that aasesnoTS were •ntirely in the 'frame position.