The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all man, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, SEPT. 15, 1892.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3156, 15 September 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all man, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, SEPT. 15, 1892.

Wk have more than once pointful out in these columns that any pos sihle legislation on the lines of the Conciliation Bill now before tinHouse ivou'fl cithirr he. inopi-rative or be liable to intensify the evil winch it is intended to lessen or remove. We note that the Labour Bills Committee have struck out the clauses providing for compulsory arbitration of all trade disputes. This was only the natural result of the consideration of the clauses by men gifted with the smallest smattering of login. When; the use of compelling men to go to arbitration in the absence of any power to compel obedience to the awards 1 It is manifestly impossible that any legislature would make the departure of enacting that one set of men shall be compelled to work for another or the latter to employ the former, even allowing that the arbitrators are in all cases certain

to handle, the scales of justice, with

the strictest impartiality, aftor having attained to a thorough knowledge of all the circumstances. To compel obedience would be an interference with individual and collective liberty hitherto unprecedented in the history of any free country. It would be in fact a return to the system which once prevailed in England, before she was free,, that no man should emigrate from the soil of his nativity, should work for a fixed wage and fight when called upon by the holder of ihe fief on which he lived and

toiled. The Bill as it now stands simply provides for the official appointment of arbitrators. We are tolerably clear on the point that these official arbitrators would, in the majority of cases, fail to com-

mand the same confidence from either party to a dispute, as would

men appointed by mutual consent. Jt is quite possible that in selcct-

ing a chairman of the Conciliation Board, the Judge of the Supreme Court presiding in the district, an independent and just man, would occupy the chair, but we question very much whether he would prove, as efficient, notwithstanding these virtues, as a man versed in the intricacies of trade from being personally engaged in its prosecution. It is a well-known

'act that there has been only a very imited number of judges on the Knglish Bench who have comnanded the confidence of the mer-

ar.tile classes. Independent of this

fact, in the event of trade disputes becoming frequent, it would he impossible for the judges to fill the dual position, and we very much question whether they would consent to make the attempt; and, under the terms of their appointment, Parliament lias not the power to compel them to do so, or to remove them from office in the event of their refusal. We quite recog-

ise the fact that Boards of Arbiration or Conciliation are the

rational means to the settlement of a dispute, but the members in our opinion should in every case be selected by the contending parties.

I'd give arbitrators, after being duly approved Ivy the Govornor, the power to administer oaths might be

ulvisable, for the reason that perjury under these circumstances would be punishable by law, and extreme partisans be thus deterred

from misleading by falsehood. We ire of opinion, nevertheless, that any possible legislation will do more

harm than good. Under the Bill, the appointment of members of Courts rests actually with the Government of the dav, and political colour would he more likely 'to inlluence the selection than fitness for ihe position. Even if this were not the. case, there would always be a suspicion as to their impartiality, cither by one party or the other.