The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-01
THE NEW ARBITRATION LAW
OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

New South Wales Is closely following
a compulsory system of arbitration in
place OF strikes and lockouts and thus as
sist In preventing a repetition OF the dis
astrous conflicts between employers and
employed which have been so frequently
as i'm other countriec. productive OF in
jury TO the mutual interests Of capital
and labor. In framing the act several
improvements suggested by the working
OF the law I'm New Zealand have been
made. In New Zealand any seven persons
can form an industrial union, but In New
South Wales only registered trades
union can do so. The reason OF the
change Is that the privilege given In New
Zealand was abused and has been some
times used by traders to arouse disputes
in the employment OF trade rivals. More
over. IL is enacted that no industrial dis
pute can be referred to the court of ar
bltration save by registered trades
union or by the official registrar, and 1t
is also imperative that the opinion OF a
ma aiority OF the members of the trade
shall be taken I'm manner prescribed.
This Is for precautionary purposes. so
that there shall be no hasty or Ill consid-
cred entrance into a dispute.
Again, there are no boards OF concllia-
tion as I'm New Zealand. This means that
there will be no preliminary investiga-
tions, the dispute being taken straight In
20 court, thereby preventing delay and
decreasing expense. Another and most
important innovation consists In making
IL a misdemeanor by employees to strike or
by employers 10 lock out either before a
reference or during its progress. There Is
to be no cessation of Industrial operations
pending the settlement OF the dispute. II
In stated that this Is the first instance OF
an attempt being made I'm any legislature
TO treat quarrel between master and
his workmen as public nuisance which
ought TO be prohibited Just as any brawl
I'm public place. There is also an inn
proved method OF enforcing the decisions
OF the court. The act empowers legal
arrangements To be made for the supply
of labor with associations OF workmen.
These arrangements can be enforced like
any other contract, either by penalty
named I'm the contract itself OF by the re-
covery OF damages against the funds OF
the union by suit brought In the arbitra-
ton court. The funds OF n trades union
are. however. protected against any La
bility except under this act.
Every employer employing on an aver
age not less than ffty hands per month.
any association or employers, any incor-
porated company or association OF incor-
prated companies employing tne same
number. can be registered as an indus
trial union. and any trades union can also
be registered. Ample powers are confer
rec on the registrar OF tho court with a
view 60 keeping a guard over the hnan-
cial stability and general management ~
an industrial union. and schedule OF
rules is attached TO the act dealing with
those subjects which are TO be compUl-
sorry on all unions.
~. Il fs.l h. n
OF the state supreme court as president
and two members. one each elected iron,
among the employers aud employees re-
spcctively. The method Of electlng these
members II prescribed. and every care
has been taken Co make the court an in
dependent tribunal II has large powers.
aud there IL no appeal from its decision.
Every Industrial dispute can be referred
20 the court either by an Industrial union
or by the registrar OF the court This
power vested in the registrar u an Inn
portant feature of the bill. lie can do u.
although the parties themselves are un-
willing 90 do 80. This. ~ r. anticipated.
will prevent any evasion Of the act