THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143765, 13 April 1912, Page 2

THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Mr. Justice Sim has been so often 'and so bitterly attacked by disappointed Labour leaders, when his decisions in the Arbitration Court have not accorded with their desires, that it is a genuine pleasure to be able to record the discussion which took place at the Labour Unity Conference in Wellington. When practically every case brought before the Arbitration Court went in favour of the employees, the president was everything* that he should be; not a fault could be found with him or his decisions; but when the inevitable happened and the Court found it necessary to check the upward rise of wages, the president was charged with allowiiig his sympathies with the employers to affect his decisions. t Mr. Justice Chapman and Mr. Justice Cooper, as weir as Mr. Justice Sim, were made the object of these attacks when they presided over the Court. . Perhaps this might be passed over without comment, but when charges of discourtesy are added it is time that a protest was raised. Mr. Justice Sim is one of the most courteous of men, and if he has, as was stated by a delegate at the conference, on occasions asked union officials to be as brief as possible, we feel sure that he has been led to do so on account of undue prolixity on the part of the officials. As Mr. W. W. Naughton remarked, some people seem to expect always to get concessions from the Court. If they do not get them they turn round and abuse the president, say he is unfair and discourteous. However, it is satisfactory to know that a motion condemnatory of Mr. Justice Sim’s treatment of the union’s representatives was defeated by the conference, even if only on the casting vote of the chairman.