§ 37. Mr. PERCYasked the Prime Minister whether in view of the menace not only to the public, but to the 1928 slability and safety of the State, caused by labour disputes and consequent lockouts and strikes affecting often great bodies of workmen, the Government will, in the interests of the future peace and prosperity of the nation, introduce at an early date a Bill providing for the formation of labour courts, with a court of appeal whose arbitrators or judges shall be independent of trade either as employers or employés, with full powers for such courts to adjudicate upon all trade disputes between employers and employés, and enforcing decisions by process of law in regard to either party whether they be corporate or otherwise?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not think this suggestion is practicable, as I believe that compulsory arbitration would at present be opposed both by employers and workmen. It is the desire of the Government that parties to industrial disputes should as far as possible themselves settle their disputes. Where they cannot do so, Parliament has provided an independent Industrial Court and other forms of arbitration to which the parties to a dispute can jointly refer it for settlement.