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the enthusiasm, interest, and zeal of the employee ; that a large volume of time and energy that should be devoted to production is expended in conflict ; it goes on to point out that a mere division of profits is not enough, and that the only way to give labour a responsible view is to give it a voice in administration. In connection with the question of the establishment of mutual interest in industry and business between the employer and the worker, some of the recent expressions of opinion in England might be mentioned. Viscount Grey has expressed the view that the most important question at the moment in Great Britain is the relation between capital and labour, and that it transcends in importance all other questions. In the shipbuilding industry there the employers have, in consequence of the great loss of business to themselves and loss of employment, for their employees on account of the competition of European countries, met representatives of the shipbuilding trade-unions to discuss means by which in their mutual interest they can meet such competition. Stress was laid at the meetings on the importance of employers and workers both knowing the full facts of the situation ; it was also conceded by the employers that wages should be adjusted, from time to time "in accordance with the ability of the industry to pay." It was stated, too, that the only hope of reaching a settlement as between capital and labour was by recognizing labour as something more than a machine, working without any voice in the manner of conducting the work. It was asserted by a prominent Labour member that if the workers were given an interest in their work there would be no disastrous strikes or lockouts.

DISPUTES DEALT WITH UNDER THE LABOUR DISPUTES INVESTIGATION ACT.

This Act permits of strikes and lookouts taking place provided there is no award or industrial agreement in force under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and provided that a certain period—about three weeks —has been allowed for an investigation and for a ballot on the question at issue. Only twenty-four unions have had their disputes dealt with under the Act since its inception in 1913. There are now ten agreements in operation under that Act, while there are 488 awards and industrial agreements in force. It will be noticed that all the disputes dealt with last year were settled without any strike taking place and without the necessity for ballots on the question of striking or accepting any recommendations made. Arising out of the disputes filed under the Act since its inception to date only four ballots have been necessary, and in none of these cases did a strike take place in pursuance of such a ballot. Inquiry has been made in those cases where the disputes were referred to Labour Dispute Committees to ascertain how far the votes of the chairmen of the committees had been essential to the settlement of the disputes. As far as can be gathered no dispute was settled by the vote of the chairman, except that in four cases some minor matter, and in one case an important item in the claims, were left in his hands for decision ; when the decision was given a full settlement resulted in each case. The section in the Act giving the chairman of the committee a casting-vote on the agreement of both parties appears so far to have been unnecessary, the representatives of the parties on the committees having been themselves able, with the assistance of the chairmen, to reach agreement. This fact, together with the fact that under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 85 per cent, of the disputes were settled, or substantially so, by Conciliation Councils (on which the Conciliation Commissioners have no vote) goes to support the view that a " round-the-table " discussion, even amongst sharply conflicting interests, in most cases results in agreement being reached. It may be mentioned that in nearly every case dealt with under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act the parties on one side or the other were not agreeable to the chairman being given a casting-vote. APPRENTICES ACT, 1923. As this Act establishes various new features in the industrial legislation of the Dominion regarding the future supply of labour for the skilled trades, and has now completed its first year in operation, it may be desirable to state what has so far been done under the provisions referred to. The Act applies generally to all apprenticeships of the kind hitherto covered by awards and industrial agreements under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, although the Court has power to extend to other cases ; no such extension has yet been made. The Act provides : — First, that an Apprenticeship Committee may be formed in any industry or group of industries in any locality by agreement between any organizations of employers and workers ; and the Court is also given power either to appoint a committee, or to alter the constitution of a committee, for

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Industry affected. ; Particulars. Worl-era Nature of Settlement. Fire Brigade Employees, Auckland | Conference called by Conciliation Not re- Agreement filed pursuant Coach and Car Builders }> Commissioner. Settlement re- quired to section 8 (1). (Auckland Tramways) j suited Shift Engineers, Auckland J