The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-31
THE . Sun. SUNDAY. NAY 81, 1sos.' !"

the Cancellation boards and the assessors
Of the Arbitration Court was to oe'one
to such bodies Of masters or workers tmeh
or wonen) as might register under the act
The number Of persons needed TO form one
OF these bodies was Gin 1880 fixed as 10"
a. Ave. When registered they were 70 %
called industrial unions. and virtually %.
came corporations, with power to hoid
land, TO sue and be sued. and to recover
dues from their members. One Of the hIst
proceedings under the act was SUCCESSFUL
action by q trades union to recover ices
from . defaultine member. Tho court o'
Arbitration and the concliation boards
were not only TO have jurisdiction over AL
employers and all unions OF workers regis
tered under the arbitration act, but over
all trades unions though some OF tnese
might be registered only under the trades
union act Any master or any trades union
could be brought into the Court OF Aroitra-
ton, il he OF it were party TO a labor dis'
pnte. 1t waa, however. only the unions
and associations that registered specially
under the arbitration act which could Toe
in the election Of tho conciliation boards'
and the Assessors Of the Arbitration court
By not registering under the act. trades
unions simply lost the right Of voting for
these officers. II in any district union OF
workers were TO register, but no union OF
employers were to do so. or vice versa. the
Governor In Council might nominate the
concihators required to make up board.
It ssems that for some years after the
passing OF the act one or other OF the Su-
preme Court Judges did the work OF pre-
siding over the Arbitration court in add
ZION to his ordinary duties. BY 1900. how
ever, the arbitration work had become 30
heavy that an extra Judge Of the Supreme
Court was appointed on tho understanding
that his time was chiefly to be given TO the
Arbitration courts. A noteworthy feature
OF the statute was the provision for the fling
in the Supreme Court Of contracts EN-.
bodying working conditions agreed upon
BY employers and unions. These docu-
ments, called industrial Agreements, were
to be, when filed, binding for the period
mentioned In them provided it did not eI'
ceed three years We are told that numbers
OF these agreements have been voluntarily
entered into; it is also practice OF the Arbi'
tration Court 10 order the parties to a dis
pute to execute an industrial agreement
We pass 10 Mr.. Reevess account OF tho
workings Of the act, but we should premise
that, a. his book seems 10 have been written
not later than the autumn O! 1907 he was not
cognizant Of certain recent signs OF serious
friction, not to say failure. Mr.. Reeves
relies mainly on the report made by Judge
Backhouse, who Was despatched by the Gov
eminent OF New South Wales to ascertain
the truth about the matter. and pursued
his inquiries in New Zealand from March 81
TO May II. 1901, during which time he passed
up and down the colony and crossed it.
The outcome Of his observstions was that.
up TO that time, the act, notwithstanding
some manifest faults, bad been productive
Of good. II had prevented strikes OF any
magnitude, be said. and had. on the whole,
brought about q better relation between
employers and employees than would exist,
II no such Law were operative. 1t had caused
questions relating to tho increase OF wages
and 10 other matters tn dispute between
workmen and capitalists TO be settled with.
out the friction and bitterness Of feeling
which otherwise might have obtained. 1t
had enabled employers. for time, at least,
TO know With certainty tho conditions OF
production, and, therefore, TO mako con-
rae In With the assurance that they would
b ab,s to fulnl them. Indirectly. tho act
had tended 10 produce degree Of harmony
arnonS tho people generally which must
have worked for the welfare of tho colony.
4 worry large majority Of the employer OF
labor whom Judge Backhouse interviewed
declared themselves In favor OF the principle
OF tho law. Only one did be nost who said
out and out, Il would rather repeal It, and
have q straight. stand-up fight. while an
other was doubtful whether the present con-
diton was better than the preeIistnS ono.
Judge Backhouss pointed out In bis re-
port that the awards bad generally been
In favor Of the workers, and he thus found
It easy TO understand that the unionists
to . man should bslieve In the act. while
the non -unionists, 90 far as bis observa-
lions went, found no fault with It. On
the part OF the men he met with none OF
the opposition to compulsory arbitration
which Is 40 pronounced in England and the
United States In the opinion OF Judge
Backhouse, however, the time had not yet
come whom II could be said with any ap-
proach TO certainty that the compulsory
arbitration act would provide for the solu-
ton OF all labor troubles. Since It became
operative In New Zealand, everything until
recently has been In favor OF an increase
In The emolunents, and Of N ameliora-
ton OF the conditions Of hbor, and there
can 30 no doubt that wages would have
risen. II there had been no act From
1895 onward, New Zealand advanced on
an ever-increasing wave Of prosperity.
. prosperity due largely TO favorable
market for its exports, which In the year
1900 wore valued at upward OF Seo, 900 900.
These exports wore Of commodities which
were in no way affected directly by the
arbitration act. such a. wool, frozen NUT
ton, kauri gum, &c. For most OF the
manufacturers, on the other hand. the mar
ket IL exclusively within the colony. and
II is q market largely guarded for the colo
NAL producer No doubt, New Zealand
has had Its unemployed, for there are
idlers In every community: but with sur
pluA labor, arising from any cause, 1t deals
BY employing it In cooperative works
giving not only employment. but facili-
ties for settling on the land On tho
whole, up 10 the present time, the supply
OF skilled labor does not seem TO have been
too great. Judge Backhouse's hope was
that industrial depression might DO far
distant, but he added: when lean years
come 40 come they must, unless the worlds
history leads US to . wrong conclusion
a to the future-when there will be our