AN OUTSIDE VIEW OF OUR LABOUR COURTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3625, 22 August 1901, Page 4

AN OUTSIDE VIEW OF OUR LABOUR COURTS.

JUDGE BACKHOUSE'S REPORT.

It will be remembered, says the "Sydney Morning Herald," in summarising Judge Backhouse's report, that some time since Mr A. P. Backhouse, District Court Judge, was appointed to proceed to New Zealand for the purpose of collecting information regarding, and making an exhaustive inquiry into, the working, of the compulsory conciliation and arbitration laws in the colony, and a visit was also paid to Victoria. The Commissioner says he called upon about 150 people in all. It was his desire to get opinions from representative men in all walks of life, and amongst those whom he saw were members of the Ministry, legislators, Judges, members of the Arbitration Court, members of the Conciliation Boards, Government officials, chairmen of Chambers of Commerce, bankers and managers of financial institutions, manufacturers, solicitors, mining managers, and the representatives of labour in each town in which he stayed. Reference was made by the Commissioner to the effect of the awards. He . says that he found it impossible to trace { the effect of all the awards, the time at his disposal being too short/ but in the principal industries affected he made it his business to see in what state they were. The building trades were a very fair indicator of the general prosperity of a community, and in New Zealand they had been as much involved in disputes since the coming into force of the provisions of the

Act as any other industry, if not more involved. Generally, the effect of the awards had been in favour of the men, granting shorter hours, higher wages, and other benefits. Certainly no one could say that up to the present the contractors had suffered. Building appeared to be going on everywhere, and there seemed to ba more work than the men were able to do.

The coal industry, although it may now to be governed by awards, or by agreements made after and practically on awards, had apparently not suffered. The Commissioner had very little doubt from what he heard that the coal industry not only had not been hampered by the provisions of the Acts, but that it had derived advantage from them, and that without them it wa3 more likely than not, considering the state of the coal markets of the world, there would have been serious trouble between the owners and the men. The experience of the shipping companies was favourable. The. clothing industries, although awards them, were in a high, state of activity. The bqct trade, however,. was an exception. Here there had not been the advance which one would have expected from the general expansion in .other, industries. ' The boot manufacturers 'had been working under an award i or r .. some This expired last year, when there was a fresh reference, which finally came before the Court in April last. It would <ertain!y appear that the conditions imposed had been such that this particular trade had not shared in the general prosperity. The conclusion of the Commissioner was that the conditions under which the industry was worked were such that, notwithstanding the protection given to it, it was not able to hold its own with foreign competition. The i Commissioner, speaking of the effect of the working of the Act as far as the general public is says:— " The effect of the working of the Act has been undoubtedly to make the public to pay generally more for the products of an industry which has been regulated bv a board or the Court, when the tariff is high enough, or other conditions occr.r. to prevent foreign competition. I have already pointed out that in the boot trade the conditions imposed are such that outside producers are able to leap the tariff fence. The coal-mine owners agreed upon an advance in price when the cost of hewing was raised, and the flourmillers acted similarly. Buildinjr has become more expensive, and in this trade the contractors at first made very little opposition to \he claims for advance in wages, secure as they considered • themselves in the ability to pass on the extra cost of construction to those who required their services. Now, however, they are of opinion that the tendency of the award is likely to narrow the scope of

their business, and they .are making efforts to oppose more effectually the demands of the men. Cost of living, particularly rent, is becoming dearer, I was informed; but I should say that my experience of hotels was that they are no more expensive than those of New South Wales."

Speaking of the disputes between employers and employees, the Commissioner says that undoubtedly these had increased; and it stood to reason that in the ordinary course of things they would when means were provided for dealing with disputes other than the extreme step of " striking " or " lock-out." MaDy differences were made public, and the Act was set in motion to adjust them, which, under the old state of things, were not of sufficient importance to justify the taking of either of the measures referred to.

In the course ot a general summary the Commissioner says:—" Although I have gone fully into matters in which the Act appears to be defective, I wish, it to be clearly and unmistakably known that the result of my observations is that the Act has so far, notwithstanding its faults, been productive of good. I have emphasised what wore pointed out to me as its weaknesses in order that they may be avoided should similar legislation be enacted here. The Act has prevented strikes of any magnitude, and has, on the whole, brought about- a better relation- between employers and employees than would exist if there were no Act. It kas enabled the increase of wages and the other conditions favourable to the workmen, "which under the circumstances of the colony, they are entitled to, to be settled without the friction and bitterness of feeling that might otherwise have existed; it has enabled employers, for a time at least, to know with certainty the conditions of production, and therefore to make contracts with the knowledge that they would be able to fulfil them; and indirectly it has tended to a more harmonious feeling among the people generally, which must have worked for the welfare of the colony. But while the effects of the' Act are so far good, the time has not yet come when it can be said with certainty that it is a measure which will provide for the solution of all labour troubles.