CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7292, 3 January 1902, Page 1

CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION.

T&E NEW SOUTH WALES LAW. INTERVIEW WITH MR WISE. v - [From Our CsoreespOndbnt.] ' WELLINGTON, Jan. 2. Mr B, Wi®*, the New South Wales* At-torney-General, was interviewed by a "Post" representative this morning, about the Industrial Conciliation Act, amd stated that while in Auckland he had a very instructive talk with Mr Justice. • Cooper, president of the Arbitration Court, and also, had the privilege of being introduced to Messrs S. Brown and Slater. -the members of the Court, and spent the best part of a morning -with them, y Asked as to the chief points of difference between the New South Wales and New Zealand Acts, Mr Wise said that he found -wiat recent legislation here had assimilated the New Zealand law to that of New Soutli Wales in several respects, although the machinery cf his Act was slightly" different. "For instance," said Mr Wise, "by recent alterations you have made it possible for ths Court to make an award binding oh all persons employed in <a trade, with such limitations and conditions as. the Court may think fit. 1 had already provided for that by what is called in,, the. New South Wales Act the method c^Uhe common rule,' that is to say, the Cotrrt has power to determine thafc any custom, usage Or praotice or industrial dealing of any kind, shall be the common rule of the' trade in question in a certain district; the object being to prevent ' sweating,' and to secure that all persons in the. tflde shall work as far as practicable, under the same conditions." "There are," continued Mr. Wise, "still two points of difference between our Act and yours. I We" give the power to the Registrar of +he Court, who will be an officer in the Attor-ney-General's Department, to institute proceedings where a dispute arises between. persons who. either decline to go to the Court or who have 'refused to register as an industrial Union. This rests on the idea tbat a public industrial broil is a public nuisance, and ■ should be put down by the Goviefninent. Secondly, our Act makes it a misdemeanour, punishable by fine -or imprisonment, toy strike or lockout until a reaaonaMe. tune ljas elapsed for the settle-: ment of the yriiaMer in dispute. " Mr Wise added that he had received 3. cablegram from Sydney tbis, morning, informing him that there are many applications f<xr registration, both 'from employers and employed, and thafc there seems to be a general desire to bring the Act into operation as quickly as possible. "The Act," he continued, "is undoubtedly an experiment. We have in the President of the Court (Mr Justice Cohen) a gentleman whose appointment has received thei hearty commendation of all sections of the publio, and who, by his commercial training, legal knowledge; and judical temperament^ is most admirably fitted for the position. The members bf the Court have yet to be elected by the industrial unions. If men of judical mind are selected I think the Act will work well, but any Act of this kind must depend for success cr failure upon the men who administer it." 1 • Questioned as to the trend of labour and social legislation in New South Wales, Mr Wise said that woman's franchise was certain to be passed. They were really only waiting the determination of the Commonwealth, because, as soon as the Commonwealth Francihise Bill was passed, .as it must necessarily confer the vote on women for Commonwealth purposes,, it would be absurd to have a State law with a different franchise. It was only rejected by , the New South Wales Parliament last session on the clear understanding that it would pass when the Commonwealth franchise was settled. -Mr Wise also stated that last session, there was a measure proposed, but not passed; for placing the employment of men on relief works and other works upon whioh day labour is engaged, Under the control of a Board, instead of leaving it under* the control of the Minister. It is ' probable that some alteration will be made in.' the method of dealing both with the unemployed and the day labourers employed on. State works, but for the present experiments are being made by the Labour Bureau in the direction of classifying labour, and thus- gradually weeding out deserving applicants for work from undeserving. WhenXihe results of this' process are apparent it is possible that some alteration will be made in the present system of dealing with State labour.