Abstract: In the light of the discussion in Chapter 5, it is not surprising that wages policy during the 1920s was conducted in an atmosphere of stringency. In this chapter, we see the effects of the perceived stringency on the kinds of decisions made in the period of Powers' Presidency, before the Court's reconstruction in 1926. 6.1 T he basic wage 6.1.1 Powers and the Royal Commission Having succeeded Higgins as President, Powers held his own inquiry into the application of the Piddington standard. The Gas Employees' case, decided in September 1921, was a ‘test case’. Powers allowed unions and employers generally to be represented. He described the dimensions of the case: During the hearing of this inquiry the parties have submitted numerous text-books, judgments, awards, statistical records, and other documentary evidence, and some oral evidence. The whole of the evidence taken before the Royal Commission, covering 2,879 pages of printed foolscap, has also been submitted; and the report of the Commission itself; the subsequent memorandum of the Chairman; the Supplementary Report of the Royal Commission; a pamphlet entitled The Next Step (by the Chairman, Mr A B Piddington); and one entitled The Basic Wage Betrayal , published by the Committee of the Conference of Federated Unions. In addition I have before me the shorthand report of the addresses of the representatives of the parties, which occupied over four days. It is impossible in a judgment on the question before this Court, under the circumstances, to deal in detail with the evidence, or the reasons urged by the parties, or to do much more than state the decisions arrived at on the principal questions raised. (15 CAR 838, 841–842) It was necessary, said Powers, to consider ‘fully’ the Royal Commission's report.
Publication Year: 2013
Publication Date: 2013-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
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