TO BEGIN TO-DAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 281, 26 November 1937, Page 8

TO BEGIN TO-DAY

SECOND ARBITRATION COURT ITS CORRECT DESIGNATION [ Per Press Association. ) AUCKLAND, Nov. 25. The first sitting of the Second Court of Arbitration will commence to-mor-row. The newly-appointed Judge (the Hon. Mr. Justice Hunter) and his associates (Messrs. W. E. Anderson, employers’ representative, and A. W. Croskery, workers’ representative) will consider the hatters’ dispute. Questions relating to internal organisation were considered at an informal conference of both Courts. In a subsequent announcement it was stated that, now that Parliament had authorised a second Court, it was considered desirable that a definite terminology should be adopted with a view to distinguishing the two Courts. It had been decided, accordingly, that they should be designated respectively as "Court of Arbitration" and "Second Court of Arbitration.” It went without saying, of course, that both were of equal jurisdiction, but for the purposes of convenience it was necessary that there should be a recognised designation, for each. "With respect to the sittings of the two Courts arrangements will be made from time to time and necessary arrangements as to time and places made by the Judge of the Court of Arbitration, as heretofore," the statement continued. ‘The practice has grown up of designating the Judge as President of the Court, while the two nominated members are frequently referred to as assessors. In point of fact, however, this terminology is inaccurate. The tribunal consists of a Judge and two nominated members. The Judge is correctly designated Judge of the Arbitration Court, but his colleagues are equally members of the Court. They are correctly referred to as employers’ and workers’ representath es, respectively, but they are not assessors. The term assessors is properly applicable only to members of a tribunal under the chairmanship of a Conciliation Commissioner appointed to deal with industrial disputes in the first instance," the statement added.

It has been decided to hear the Dominion freezing workers’ dispute, one of the most important on the list, at Auckland oi December 13 and 14. It has not yet been decided which Court will hear the case. PUBLIC WORKS ACCOUNTS AUDIT INSPECTOR AT GREYMOUTH QUESTION ASKED IN THE HOUSE [ Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, Nov. 25. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m., when Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Opp., Waitomo) asked an urgent question whether there was any truth in the statement being freely circulated that the Government had been forced to send an audit inspector to investigate certain excessive and improper payments being made in certain Public Works contracts at Greymouth. Mr. Broadfoot said that it was alleged that payments had been made for work done far in excess of the total payments which could have been earned if the equipment had been worked to its fullest capacity. The Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. Semple), in reply, said the Government did not send an audit inspector to Greymouth to investigate excessive and improper payments. An inspector of the Audit Department, while making his usual audit of accounts in the Greymouth district, discovered what he believed to be irregularities. . The matter was now being thoroughly investigated by the Audit Department.

NATIVE AFFAIRS DEBATE ON ESTIMATES CLOSURE MOTION APPLIED [ Per Press Association. 1 WELLINGTON, Nov. 25. Speaking on the vote of £152,420 for the Native Department in the House to-day, the Minister for Native Affairs (Hon. F. Langstone) said the houses erected since March 1, 1937, were a hundred new houses with 99 houses repaired. There was an authority under all schemes for native houses, for 688 houses at a cost of £142,341, including houses for Maoris which had been started by Sir Apirana Ngata. Several hundred houses have been bought or built. The department was trying to better the conditions of the natives as fast as it could. About 5000 Maoris were working on development schemes or on developing their own properties under Government direction. The debate on the vote was interrupted by the adjournment at 5.30 p.m. and the House continued discussion on it when it resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) moved the closure at 7.55. This, on being forced to a division, was carried by 43 votes to 14 and the vote was passed. The next vote for consideration was £15,2000 for the Native Trustees Account. Mr. E. T. Tirikatene CRatana Party, Southern Maori) appealed for portion of the grants for fostering Maori arts and crafts for Maoris for the South Island, and contended that the Maoris were losing facility in some of their ancient handicrafts. The vote was passed.