INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2111, 20 June 1907, Page 1

INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION.

A sceptical view uf Australian and New Zealand methods of fixing wages law is presented in a report published by tlio administrative council if (lie English Independent Labor Party. The criticism probably reprc--ents the conclusions formed by the hairnian of- the party, JfK j. It. MacDonald, during his recent tour. .‘lt is claimed,” the report states, -by the advocates of legal minimum wages in Australia that U't> methods adopted there, have practically abolished strikes, helped to eliminate sweating! secured for the work-peo-■b some of tile profits which protection would otherwise have handed over to the employers exclusively, •iincl have-’kept a high, standard of life in Australia. On the other hand, ft is urged that the increases ip wages tire only to a small extent attributable to those boards,' and that in other countries under industrial conditions 'similar, to those ill Australia wage's have increased even to a greater extent than they have, ip Aust'itlia,. that in the great majority of cases trades upippispi. aione would have secured as good wages as have been given by the boards; and that where no legal awards have been asked for wages are. in equally satisfactory condition.” The existence of the boards : is alleged -to have “taken the steel out of trades unionism.” The conclusion of the I.L.P’s. administrative council is that “the real ett'ect of the hoards cannot be judged until Australia and New Zealand experience a falling market,” and it- adds the assertion that “the benefits of the Victorian AYages Hoard in eliminating sweating are altogether- exaggerated, because there never was much sweating ini Victoria, and what there' was was vie an early date dealt with by drastic factory legislation, tile effect of which lias been to drive work away from homos and into factories. As a matter of fact, where sweating conditions similar to ours exist- the determination of the'wages boards have admittedly broken down.”