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ARBITRATION í
STATES TO ASSUME CONTROL
Days of Federal Court Numbered
Something like a bombshell was
dropped in industrial circles during
the week when it was announced that
the Federal Arbitration Court will soon
be.but a memory of the past. At the
Premiers' Conference at Canberra on
Tuesday, at which the sis Premiers of
the various States were present, the
Prime Minister (Air. -Bruce) invited
them to state definitely whether they
were prepared to recommend to their
Parliaments t^ie concession of full in-
dustrial powers to the Commonwealth.
In the absence of such concerted
action on the part of the States, the
Commonwealth Government, Mr.
Bruce declared, felt that it would be
its duty to propose to the Common-
wealth Parliament the repeal of the
existing Federal Arbitration legisla-
tion subject to transitional provisions
which would preserve existing awards
and agreements for a period sufficient
to enable the States to assume com-
plete control. Jn the case of the
shipping and waterside industries, the
Commonwealth Parliament already
had sufficient complete powers to
make it desirable for the Common-
wealth to retain control of these in-
dustries.
Later on in his speech, the Prime
Minister said:-'"The Commonwealth
Government has arrived at the definite
conclusion that the present duplica-
tion of" powers in tbs Commonwealth
and the States is not only unsatisfac-
tory in principle, but that in prac-
tice it is responsible for serious eco-
nomic waste and for the- irritation of
personal relations between employers
and" employes".
, -At the close of Mr. Bruce's speech
the six Premiers aired their views on
the proposal and one and all agreed
that the Individual States should as-
sume control. This means that the
Federal Arbitration Court has got to
go.
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