As to the industrial question, the matter remains as before. The High Court, having changed its views, decided that the Commonwealth Arbitration Court had the power to fix the wages and working conditions of the State employees on the railways. Natually there is strong objection to this on the part of those who feel that State parliaments should not be ordered to vote money by a Commonwealth authority. On the other hand, the Labour party has no qualms on the subject. If the Federal Arbitration Court will raise wages, then the workers, by whomsoever employed, should have access to it. If it does not raise wages there is always some State Court or State Parliament to which appeal can be made. The ex-Prime Minister, Mr. Hughes, proposed a tribunal which would decide what industries were Federa] and what State, and Mr. Bruce has followed upon the same lines, The States—except Queensland—are not unfavourable, but in order to meet the finding of the High Court concerning State instrumenf&lities an amendment of the Constitution will be necessary, and it is hardly likely that this will be sought before the end of 1926, when the life of the present Parliament will be expiring and a general election held. To amend the Constitution requires a referendum of the whole of the people, and this cannot be very conveniently held except at the same time as a general election. The other day. the President of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court, who is also a High Court Justice, had a case concerning some State employees before him, but he contented himself with refusing to disturb existing conditions. By this means the matter may remain in situ until the referendum is taken.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.