DRASTIC CHANGES SUGGESTED FOR ARBITRATION ACT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18189, 23 June 1927, Page 11

DRASTIC CHANGES SUGGESTED FOR ARBITRATION ACT.

(Special to the "Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 22. One of the questions commencing to loom large on the sessional programme is that of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. It is down for amendment, and a point now causing great interest is whether, in view of the strong representations from the farming section of the community, it will be so substantially modified as to j lose its main feature of compulsion. The proposed measure is being considered by the Minister of Labour, the lion G. J. Anderson, who is a thoroughgoing believer in the principles of the present legislation. He has, however, to consider the opinions of his party, and it may transpire that as a result of caucus discussions some drastic amendment may be made in the present law, such as the elimination of preference to unionists or the introduction of classification of workers. Farming interests are strongly represented in the House, and the outspoken objections of that class to the complete protection afforded award i workers in bad times, in contrast with • the risks run by producers, will probably bring forward important amendments for which the Government cannot avoid giving an opportunity, as it j wishes to make some changes prompted ■ j by official suggestion.^. A prominent member of the New ' I Zealand Employers’ Federation, dis- j j cussing the matter with a representa- ; 1 tive of the “ Star,” agreed that I there is a likelihood of attempts to make drastic changes, but his own opinion is that the Arbitration Court I will survive the attack. “It has,” he j remarked, “ been under fire continually. Many years ago a Minister of Labour declared that the Act was under storm sails, but it is still making a course.”

The date for the Government caucus has not yet been fixed, but it will be held within a week of the session’s opening, when members of the Government Party will be given a general indication of Ministers’ legislative proposals.