Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-18
ARBITRATION Isl COMPULSORY.
Experimental STATUTE Works Satisfac-
tOriiy In New Zealand.

tOrfIy In New zealand.
From the Boston Transcript
New Zealand is one 'of the most progress
sve of the newly civilized countries of the
earth that are attempting under almost
virgin conditions to work out new solutions
of the problems of government and social
economy, and William Penber Reeves. who
explained before the Twentieth Century
Club the other night the operation of the
compulsory arbitration act, of which he
was the author, has added by his address
and subsequent interviews considerably to
the local knowledge of that prosperous and
progressive far-away factor in the world $
development Doubtless good many
Americans, especially those who pursued
their geological studies many years Igo.
still associate New Zealand with cannibal
ism and naked savages, just as some Eng
lishmen are yet on the lookout for Indians
and buffaloes when they arrive for the first
time in Boston or New York, but 1t has
made very rapid advance with the century
It's natural conditions have proved exceD-
tionally favora BILE to the planting and mr.
pertinent along new lines, even If thov
nave not yet worked out an absolute justi-
hcation, are very interesting movements for
the rest of the world to watch
With Australasian federation this men-
Der will doubtless have still more leayan-
ing influence. Though it has only about
100000 Inhabitants they are nearly all of
British Stock and more than usual interest
seems to be taken by them in political mat
tiers and public affairs. Woman suffrage
has been established, and every woman
over tWenty-one years of age has the right
to vote. As an instance of the use made
of these suffrage privileges and the general
participation in these acts Of popular soy
ereignty at a recent election there were
one-third as many votes cast as there We're
persons in the population. Such a ratio
would give Boston voting strength of
about 10000.
The court of compulsory arbitration. as
has already been explained in these col
umns, is for the adjustment of the differ
ences between labor unions and employers.
1t recognizes three parties in interest, the
employers, the employees and the public
and it was established with the general
consent of all. Either employers or trade
unions can begin Proceedings for arbitra-
ton under the provisions of the law, and
each side is bound under penalties to ac-
cept the decision of the court. While even
the author of the act does not claim tina t
it is the best measure that be devised,
he contends that ii Is proceeding along
right lines and cites practical evidence
in Its favor the fact that during the four
five years that it has been in operation
there have been no strikes In New Zealand.
The law provides for proceeding against
the funds of the trade unions in case they
defy the decree of the court, while unions
so poor as to be without funds are almost
invariably not only willing but anxious to
appeal to and accept the good offices of the
court.
Whether under the more complex condi-
tons that obtain in this country such a tr-
bunal could be operated satisfactorily may
be we'll questioned. In the state of affairs
that existed in Cleveland some months ago
there We're dOUh-laSS funds for the Strii; arS.
but the law would not have had an easy
task to get hold OF them. STILL armed de-
flance of the DEGREES of law is rebellion.
Ii,I nil
interesting phase of the labor question is
locally presented by the arrangement to
give 1000 journeymen carpenters and wood
workers of this city an eight-hour work
day, with a minimum wages of S15 per
week. This is quite triumph for the per-
sistent agitation in which these organized
craftsmen have been engaged for over ten
years. OF course, this will increase the
cost Of building operations and 1t is not
likely to satisfy, except for a time, those
who have so long cOntended for it. 1t is
the public and not the master carpenters
who must in the end pay for the abbre-
waited day.