134 THE ECONOMIC RECORD MAY

This declaration shall have effect as if it were a declara- tion of the Court, made at the passing of the Act,

The Court’s d u e will be to revise awards or agreements made o r entered into, having regard to any declaration of the Court varying the basic wage declaration (that is, the declara- tion of February and November, 1921), and which the Court thinks it necessary to revise to make conformable to the declara- tion.

The revision will be made on application by the parties or by the Court of its own motion, with notice to the parties as it thinks proper in the public interest.

In every case the revision will take effect from the passing of this Act.

This measure will remain in force for twelve months after its passing, and until the coming into force of any declaration of the Court in variance of its provisions, after the expiration of such period of twelve months.

INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION AMENDMENT ACT.

The object of this Act is to make better provision fo r the reaplation of the conditions of industries by means of indus- trial conciliation and arbitration, and the establishment of a Board of Trade and Arbitration with certain defined jurisdic- tion and powers.

Firstly, subsisting awards and orders will be valid and bind. ing. We then come to the establishment of the Board of Trade and Arbitration. This will consist of three persons appointed from time to time by the Governor-in-Council. The President will be a judge of the Supreme Court, appointed for such period as the Governor-in-Council determines. The other two members shall be appointed for seven years, but may be reappointed. All members are appointed during good behaviour and shall not be removed except upon an address of the Assembly, praying for such removal. They must not be members of the Executive Council or of the Assembly, or act as director, or take part in the management of any bank, company, trade or business. A depnb may be appointed in case of illness o r inability. In the case of the President, the Deputy must be a judge or person qualified to be a judge.

The Board will have administrative and judicial functions. The President, or any member sitting alone in the exercise of judicial functions, shall constitute the Board. If more than

1926 DIGESTS OF LEOISLATION : TASMANIA 135

one member is sitting at the same time, each member will con- stitute the Board. When the Board is constituted by the Presi- dent and one or two members, the decision of the President on queationa of jurisdiction or construction shall prevail.

There are wide powers of the Board in regard to its ad- ministrative functions. The Board may set up a Statistical Bureau, may utilise the Registrar-General’s Office in the collec- tion of statistics, may make reports on various matters of in- dustrial and social welfare, and will be entrusted with the ad- ministration of the Profiteering Prevention Act. References to the Commissioner in that Act will be deemed to be references to the Board of Trade and to each member.

The; Board will have the powers of a Commission under the Official Enquiries Evidence Act. The Governor-in-Council may appoint the necessary oEcers to carry out its administrative functions. Various consequential amendments are made in the principal Act, the Supreme Court Act, and in the Profiteering Prevention Act.

TASMANIA. (Prepared for the Committee of the Tasmanian Branch

by J. B. Brigden, Hon. Sec.). The Tasmanian legislation during 1925, having important

economic significance, may be summarised very shortly, but refer- ence should be made to the Constitutional issue bet.ween the two Homes of Parliament concerning the power of the Legislative Council to amend Money Bills, which has been amicably settled in March of this year. Two interesting proposals may also be mentioned, although they did not pass into law. One was to establish a State Court of Industrial Arbitration, and the other to allow Ministers to sit in either House and to explain and take part in the discussion on any Bill.

The legislation of chief economic interest was as follows:- (a) Sinking Fund from Crown Land Revenues (16

Q.V. 21).-The existing law had provided for one- half of the Revenues from Crown Lands to be set aside fo r the payment of Interest and Sinking Fund on Debentures raised for the purpose of providing special roads for settlers. The fund had grown larger than was necessary, and this Act prorides for the one-half of the Revenues to be devoted to the liquidation of Returned Soldier