THE ARBITRATION BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2297, 16 September 1908, Page 2

THE ARBITRATION BILL.

W JKJE,JL,.U\ UIUiN i\'JS WSJPAIMS-K VIEWS. [Special to “Times.”] WELLINGTON, Sept. 15. The second reading debate on the Arbitration Bill will 1 be taken this

week, and miay be expected: to occupy a day or two of the House’s time. There is undbubtedly a growing feeling that compulsory arbitration has failed, and! that it must be .abandoned in the near future. The press of the colony is a4o beginning to realise the futility of the continual patching up of the. Act, each patch seemingly being less effective than the former 0110. „

The “Post” says the result of legislation, after fourteen years’ experience, of conciliation and arbitration, remains uncertain. The Bill of 1907 has been altered to the Bill of 1908 and the Bill of 1908 has just been: altered by the Labor Bills Committee and the “Post” thinks the radical principle of the law has been so fir

neglected, firstly, by the Government’s failure t'o enforce, the law, and. secondly, by the Arbitration Court’s refusals to apply it, thnifc it has become a matter of doubt whether any remnii'nt of the principle cam be effectively.- preserved.

The “Dominion” regards, the Bill a« the last gallant gtrugglo in. connection with a dying fallacy. Tile Ministerial journal draws attention to the fact that fine Bill con-tain,-j the noxious principle of the “gag,” which is so striking a feature of the Second Ballot Bill. The “Times” points out that the Labor Bills Committee now seeks to curtail the privileges and the power of the press by prohibiting the publication of opinions “for or against” in, refer! enco to an impending strike or lockout. The silencing of views favoring strikes is consistent with the law which says strikes must not bo, but the. attempt to stop newspapers assisting to maintain the authority of thosta.tuteGnd tho Court 1 can find' no justification outside the realm of itopsy-kiUrveydtom. As already said, the opinion iy now becoming generally field, that compulsory arbitration' is practically dead, and it is urged tlii.it, on the second reading of tho Bill, an amendment embodying such a. pronouncement should be moved. No doubt the great majority of members would still vote against such an amendment and ,in favor of compulsion., but the next few years uire

likely to bring about- such changes that it would! be as well to see exactly where, members stand ill regard' to affirming or objecting to the principle of tile compulsion. Labor itself is nafc united on the subject, and there is a decided split in the party there. Indeed', if all, one hears is true, there have been; some particularly lively meetings in trades and labor circles here recently.