THE ARBITRATION BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2294, 12 September 1908, Page 3

THE ARBITRATION BILL.

SOiM.II DRASTIC ALTER ATION S. [Press Association.] AYE L LING TOT. Sept. 13., The Minister of La cor communicates tlio following particulars anil alterations made to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill by the Labor Bills Committees:—Part 1, clause 3: Words “have been employed” have been struck out, the reason being that a strike lias been declared to bo not a continuous offence. Clause 4is amended to make ; a singlo employer liable for a lock-out. Now clause, 4A, is inserted providing . that when a majority of the members of an industrial union are guilty of ; an offence under the Act, the union and not the individuals shall bo proceeded against in the first- instance. ' A strike or lock-out under the am- I ended Bill can only tako place where an award or industrial agreement is in force. A strike is now made a continuous offence in go far as aiding or abetting is concerned. The penalty clause inflicting three months ’imprisonment for striking without tlireo weeks’ notice in industries connected ; with the necessaries of life is struck out, and a fine not exceeding £25 substituted and notice is reduced to fourteen days. In the clause providing for power of suspension, a proviso is inserted to limit the operation thereof against those offending instead of operating against the whole of the industry. The clause relating to tracing a man who has not paid his fino is deleted, and a clause has been inserted enabling the Court to attach wages above LI per week in the case of a single man and £2 in the caso of a married man. The old Conciliation Boards arc abolished, and two Conciliation Commissioners, one for tho North Island and tho other for the South Island, aro appointed for a term of three years at a fixed annual salary. On a disjnito arising, the Commissioner proceeds to the place of the dispute and first goes into the matter alono to ascertain the merits thereof. He then calls upon unions and employers to appoint three assessors on either side. The Commissioners have no vote and no power to make an award. There, must be pure conciliation, and only where an agreement on a point exists call such points bo embodied in the award drawn up by the Commissioner, such award to have all the force of an award made by the Arbitration Court. If the majority of employers and workers engaged in an industry affected fail to sign tho agreement within a month of the award, the case goes automatically to the Arbitration Court, which only deals with such matters as have not been settled. 11l his report to the Court, the Commissioner is required to give an indication whether a settlement. was prevented by unreasonable - action on either side. Provision is made that at any time between the reference of a case to and tlic hearing of a caso by the Court, parties may come to an agreement which shall have the same effect as if come to prior to tho case being referred to tho Court. Tho number of members of a union nccessna'.v for registration is reduced from 25 to 15, and the number of employers for registration of an association is reduced from seven to three. Section 57, providing for a needs wage and an exertion wage, is struck out. Section 60, referring to expert'assessors, is also struck out, power being given to the Court to call for assessors if it wishes. The definition of a worker is any person who works for hire or reward. A new clause provides that in tho case of work not for the. employer’s pecuniary gain there is no liability for prosecution for breach of aw.ird'. This also applies to domestic servants in private houses, but not where lodgers aro kept.