The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1911

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3334, 28 September 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1911

“The Bar of Public Opinion.”

As a sequel to the strike troubles which developed some weeks ago at Home the necessity for tnoie effectual industrial legislation, continues to be strongly pressed. In this connection it would appear that the Labour party is advocating a Bill for abolishing Arbitration Courts on the lines of the system which is in force in Canada. The essential features of this system, it is stated, are that any employer or workman involved in " a dispute has the power to appeal to the Minister of Labour asking for the reference of the points yi dispute to a Board consisting .of three persons, one representing e'mployers, another workmen, and the third an independent person acceptable to both sides. This Beard then summons witnesses, and makes exhaustive inquiries into the circumstances. The Board has no power to enforce its finely ingjs upon the disputants, hut, as a general rule, the parties do not c-are to reject terms of settlement proposed by the Board. One remarkable feature is

that once a dispute lias been: referred to the Boards it. is an offence punishable

by heavy fines for the parties' to force a strike or lock-out, or for the employers to make any change in the working conditions' in: force at the time when the dispute was referred to arbitration. Mr Will: Crooks, M.P.. it appears, inquired into the working of the system

whilst, ho was visiting Canada, and ,vas much impressed with the results that accrued under it. “The thing that sitfuck mo most/’ ho told tlio “Westminster Gazette,” was that the Canadian system docs not rob the workman of Iris right to strike for what are his rights. The chief value of the Boards iri my opinion is that they bring out all the facts in, connection, with a, particular dispute. Everybody’s hand is ex posed. This desirable result is obtained because the Boards have' the power to compel the attendance of witnesses and examine them on oath. When, alt the cards are on the table the an aid b made, and the parties can- take it- or leave’ it. That is' where we preserve the right to strike. The award and the Board’s recommendations bring all the facts before the bar of public opinion. In, the first year of the working of the Canadian scheme sixty cases were brought before the Boards, and of these fifty-five were settled amicably, and as the others could not survive the publication of the facts the disputes soon fizzled out.” The procedure in Canada, it will be seen, is less involved than than, in conection- with the New Zealand system. As to the results, well, as outlined, they seem to be too good to be true. If the information, were available, it would, we think, probably be found that the disputes which have so far had to be dealt with under the Canadian system were really much less difficult of settlement than many of those which have had to be decided under the system in* force in. this Dominion.