FIRM STAND OF WELLINGTON DEFENCE COMMITTEE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14836, 29 November 1913, Page 13

FIRM STAND OF WELLINGTON DEFENCE COMMITTEE.

KO MORE PACTS WITH FEDERATION.

{Wtiee Ar-OCTATION TELEOBAM.) ; -*- WELLINGTON. November 28. . She Employers', Farmers', and Citizen's Defence Committee held a meeti3K to-day to consider the proposal to Band over the dispute to Sir Joshua ■ffiUiams's arbitrament. The following report of their proceedings was eupplied to the Press:- ---' V«A conference was held on October 2Sth between the Prime Minister (the Son. W. F. Massey) and representatires of tie Waterside Workers' Union, tbe latter being headed by Mr W. T. Young; Certain proposals were made •by tho employers' representatives, which tbo Wellington "Waterside Workers' Union rejected. During that conference "the Prime Minister suggested thai Sir Josh"* Williams 'might be willing to"«*- as arbitrator, but the proposal wp very, coldly received by tie representatives of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union. "Oi> the morning of October .29th a mass meeting of the Wellington waterage 'workers was- held at 9.30- o'clock. awUater in-the day Mr W. T. young "waited upon the chairman of the Shipowners' Committee (Mr W. A. Ken■.aedy) and informed liim thattho water-adp-workers hQ represented had turned down , the proposals made by the employers.' , ■ ; - 'VThe chairman of the Shipowners Committee then aeked Mr., Young '-. whether the suggestion' made, by the Minister.^that Sir •. Joshua-Wil- : WEams should be asked to act as arbitrator had been considered. Mr Young replied that the. proposal had nbj; been • pjit before the meeting, but-that when ho returned, to it he 'would*.'do bo. ."At p.m. on the same day.-Mr i Young 'again called upon the chairman ■of tho Shipowners' Committee. He then 'made a-statement to hinv Mr N. Galbraitb. and Mr I>.- Aiken'were present. t-Thisv statement; was : as v follows :—r"Ehe ment -want their agreement-reinstated without any guarantee as to stop-work meetings, with a view to the being a national one. They •iwere of opinion that any such condition L : jut. into.an agreement should be.conand discussed 'vrhen' the new.' agreement comes forward next jr'fjjjejjTiV Such a proposition/ if agreed! to, iVwwld i then apply to all .the ports of p-.^iyt , Zealand. Respecting the question Justice Williams; ; the men are : "of ;; opinion: that there'is -nothing lo arbic tow:iiipon ; l except- one point, and that • -Si"TH^ er the agreement shall' be' re';instep or-othenvise.' . .; . ",..'.-. was taken down ver- > wfam.J'at : ; the time,..': and read over to rJKToiiiiig, and he confirmed it. » ' ii ;/s*3The Employers', Farmers', and Clti7^fel>efence .Committee, now a % "that the-iime has gone by..: fortrurther negotiations: Work 'at ; ports is now progressing in a man* . Be^-cSb^pletely.satisfactory .to the em« They, have no intention whatinto agreemente, aritanjgeibeiitS; or undertakings of,". any. in any way place them in snchva?position as will in any degree iPreiudico their relations with the thou- ■ sands of' unionists now~ at- work in all J\ 0 , rts -J whom they are already mor?iw_and legally committed. 1 : ' ... ■i \Fiijally, tbe Employers , , Farmers', W« Defence; Committee, wish "•ii°, c un ao»to6d .as. plainly as pos.Jiblo that, they will not-meet, negoti-•"-ffe-.VM**. or confer with the Federa,tion of.-Labour, or any representative .-.thereof." ■;.' ■-. -.;..-; ;. ■; .. ■■■.:.;