Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-04-15
LAND WITHOUT STRIFE
How New Zealand Has Solved
 the Labor Problem.
NO STRIKES OR LOCKOUTs.
All Disputes Between Employer and Employed Settled by a Board of Con ciliaton ard an Arbitration Court. Wages Of Workers.

The industrial cancellation and arbi tration act of New Zealand was passed il 1891, and several amendments were 1 made thereto ill 1@6l i9N3. 1901 and 1905. Before ths date labor laws were in force but they were not satisfac- tory. There is no statutory precedent to this act in the world
 Societies of two or mere employers or seven OF more workers may he reg istered and become subject to the pro visions of the act undet. tAe title of industrial union. Any such union may bring a trade dispute before the board Of cancellation, which board may proceed to investigate 1T" dispute or, on requirement. of one 9i the parties, may refer the cage direct to the albt- tration court. Ii the dispute i@ left t9 the board after taking evidence. the board may make q rH .0mMenst2tion which, if accepted ty e:e parties, k put into iha form of an indUst9ial agreement and ha, the forcc of la@. If the b9arti's TetelHiHradutian is i@ norca for month, it automatically he comes law. but if rejected the dispute is carried to the eourt of arbitration.
 This court consists of a president, who is q judge of tie supreme court, and two members one elected =hS tac employers unions and the other hy tlc workers unions. It has wide powers, l and against its decisions there is no appeal. No lawyers are permitted to plead oll either side.
 ,Tbic, co,1,,t t.l- or-:1onaa nDJ baouS both sides. There is oHly one court of arbitration in all New Zealand. This court makes a final award. and any ! employer. worker, industrial union or association that tries to defeat any pro vision of the award is held liable and heavily fined. Section 113 reads If any person prints or publishes anything calculating to obstruct, interfere With or prejntlicia!y affect any matter be- l fore the board CT court he shall be lia- l ble to a fine not exceeding $2oO.' .Nn- 1 other section provides that any indus 1 trial union or association or employer or any worker. whether a ulember of any such union or association or not, which or who shall strike or create d l lockout or take part in a strike OF lock out or propose, aid or abet strike or 1 lockout or d movement intended to pro- dlce a strike or lockout shall be guilty of an offense and shall be liable to a fine, etc. not to exceed S4O0 for union or association or employer and $50 for worker. There are hundreds of amend atory acts relating to the protection of the worker and employer
 Originally employers had to pay heav- fly for an accident to or in case of the death of an employee, but now the government accident insurance act covers tho point. but the employer must insure his help to receive the benefit.
 Eight hours per day is time for all workers in the colony. There are doz- ems of sections relating to the use of gunpowder and other explosives, and 1 everything imaginable to protect work CTS in the mines of New Zealand and Australia has been enacted. Factory laws. apprentice laws and seamen's acts are also in force.
 The wages of laborers are about the same as with Us, but skilled labor does not quite come up to our standard either as to quality or pay. The best theory that one can give for the sue cess of the labor laws and to the ob servance of them is that all laws are respected in this country They are created at the suggestion of the peo pie. For instance, the Sunday closing act includes not only saloon keepers. but all shopkeepers, manufacturers and business and trade of every kind except those necessary to run the country. The masses know that the laws are made to be observed. All shops close at 6 p. m., and saloons must close at 10 p. m. week days; no back doors open. It is no business from the word close.
 The Hon. J. X. Millar. minister of labor. said recently, "1f care is taken in the administra ton of our labor laws see no reason why the present satis- factory relations between employer and employed should not continue indeh nitely." It would appear that the gen. uinc reason to be ascribed for this l unique situation is that the workers themselves. who mainly instituted this system. insist upon the laws being ob served The concliatory board is not as popular as the court of arbitration. The dispute is usually carried direct to the court of arbitra tiOn and after slight discussion is satisfactorily set tied.
 This sane and fair act has now stood successfully for twelve years. and it must be remembered that every single suggestion or amendment made for the protection of either the employer or employed receives the hearty support of both. provided it seems just. There are no strikes or lockouts in New Zea- land. Why? Because they are against the law. and the law was made by the peop!, and the people say the law must be observed.-Robert c. Givins in Chicago News.
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