H.—ll

5

(6.) Waterside Workers, Wellington. —Fifty-two men engaged in unloading coal from the schooner " Alice, A. Leigh " objected to the use of " skips " and discontinued their employment. The matter indispute was referred to the Disputes Committee provided for in the Waterside Workers' industrial agreement under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, under which the men were working, and it was finally agreed to use grabs until the " skin " of the hold was reached and then to use " skips." The men resumed work after an interval of five days. (7.) Coal-miners, Ohm, Nightcaps.- As a consequence of the, introduction of forks in place of shovels, fifty-six miners employed in the Linton Coal Company and Wairaki Coal Company's mines at Nightcaps discontinued their employment. Free labour was engaged to work the mines, and subsequently a number of the former employees were re-engaged. The disturbance occupied twentyeight days. The parties were not bound by any award or agreement. (8.) Waterside Workers, Auckland. —Eighty-four men engaged in unloading allegedly dusty coal from the s.s. " Kawatiri " at Auckland discontinued their employment to compel the employers to pay " dirt " money. The dispute, which involved a cessation of work for three days, was referred to the Dispute Committee provided for in the industrial agreement under the industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, under which the. men were working, and it was decided that the demands of the men should be conceded. (9.) Coal-miners. —As a protest against the terms contained in the recent awards of the Court of Arbitration covering the coal-mining industry, which made certain decreases in. wages in accordance with the fall in the cost of living, a large number of miners in Westiand, Otago, Southland, and Waikato discontinued their employment. Altogether about 1,547 workers were concerned, and the various stoppages of work ranged from periods of four to twenty-four- days. Work was then resumed at the new award rates. (10.) Coal-miners, Millerton. —Owing to a section of the Millerton Mine being idle it was found impossible to employ all the workers, and in consequence 420 men, who were bound by an award under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, discontinued their employment. The stoppage occupied eight days, the men returning to work on the employers' terms. (11.) Coal-m/iners, Blackball. —260 employees of the Blackball Colliery adopted the " go slow " policy for two shifts in an endeavour to show that certain clauses of the- award under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act under which they were working resulted in a restriction of output, and in addition to compel the employers to reinstate a dismissed worker. The workers' demands were not conceded, and work was resumed under the same conditions as before. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1921. By this amendment provision was made for the acting nominated member of the Court of Arbitration to sit whenever the nominated member might be absent, and for the appointment of a temporary member if at any time neither the nominated member nor the acting nominated member should be present. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1921-22. The following are the more important provisions contained in this amendment: — (I.) A maximum of five votes is prescribed for any one union in the election of a representative on the Court of Arbitration. (Hitherto each union was allowed one vote for every complete fifty members, without restriction as to the total number of votes.) (2.) The Court is given power to amend awards for any purpose with the consent of all the parties. (3.) Local authorities and Harbour Boards are, exempted from the payment of award rates in employing labour on relief works. (4.) Section 18 of the War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment Act, 1918, empowering the Arbitration Court to alter wages and hours in awards and industrial agreements according to the cost of living, is replaced by a provision giving the Court wide powers to make such amendments or alterations by means of a general order, having regard as before to a fair standard of living, and with a proviso that on application the Court may make a special order in any particular case.