Industrial arbitration, 1921-1929

Component identifier:

Series 28

Content Summary:

As Attorney-General Latham was responsible for the administration of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act and the Industrial Peace Act. He introduced the 1927 Conciliation and Arbitration Bill which was passed by Parliament in 1928 and which included many significant amendments to the original Act. Further papers on industrial relations can be found in Series 27, 29, 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 43 and 45.

This large series commences with several printed papers (Items 1-69) including the 1925 report on industrial relations in Australia (unsigned, but written by W. Harrison Moore and E. C. Dyason), the report of the Industrial Delegation to the United States in 1925, the 1926 New South Wales Industrial Arbitration (Amendment) Act, the 1904-1926 Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act, Regulations made under the Act, the 1927 Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, leaflets attacking the Bill, the Single Purpose League's The curse of compulsory arbitration, H. Belshaw's Memorandum to the National Industrial Conference (27 March 1928), A. H. Tocker's Lecture on compulsory arbitration (2 February 1928), and issues of the Constitutionalist and the Employers Monthly Review.

They are followed by some typescript papers (Items 70-170) including Latham's 'Some observations upon the tariff and the Arbitration Act' (17 December 1926), 'The Arbitration Bill' (1927), notes on the Chamber of Manufactures deputation on the Arbitration Act (29 May 1927), notes by various people on the 1927 Arbitration Bill, a memorandum concerning the 1926 referendum and the 1927 Arbitration Bill, notes on the 1928 Arbitration Act, notes on Munden's report on the observance of Arbitration Court awards, notes on the secret ballot (28 May 1928) and on the powers of the Arbitration Court in relation to overseas ships (18 August 1928). There are a few Cabinet papers, such as 'Strike and lockout penalties in the Arbitration Act' (August 1927), 'Arbitration Bill: points for further consideration' (5 November 1927), 'Arbitration Court and the economic effects of awards' (28 May 1928) and 'Industrial legislation and penalties' (28 April 1929). There are also a volume of notes written by Latham during the debates on the 1928 Arbitration Bill, notes for a speech on the Bill, and notes from the industrial Registrar, A. Stewart.

The correspondence (Items 397-584) dates from May 1925-October 1929. It includes a copy of a letter from Justice Powers to Sir Littleton Groom recommending changes in the Arbitration Act (May 1925) and suggestions on amendments to the Act in 1927-1928 by the Industrial Registrar, the Advisory Committee of Employers, the Stockowners Association, the Victorian Employers Federation, the Metal Trades Employers Association, and the Australasian Council of Trade Unions. In most cases Latham's replies have been retained and there is also his draft reply to the Australian Workers Union concerning the proposed Industrial Peace Conference (March 1928).

Finally, there is a large collection of newscuttings, mostly dating from December 1921-May 1929. The majority are from the Argus, Age and Herald and the subjects include working hours, trade union conferences, the Australian Labor Party's industrial policy, the Industrial Peace Conference, the 1928 Arbitration Act, employer opposition to compulsory arbitration, and industrial disputes.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The bulk of the collection was presented to the National Library by Sir John Latham in December 1963, a few months before his death. In November 1974 the Library purchased some further papers from a secondhand book dealer. They comprised family letters and photographs, some diaries and papers relating to the High Court. These papers have been amalgamated into the original collection.

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