CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22513, 22 September 1938, Page 4

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

MAJORITY OF DISPUTES

SETTLED

COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONER

"It is often said that it is impossible in Conciliation Council to reach an agreement? because both sides are so unreasonable in their requests,” said the Commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) at the conclusion of a sitting of the Conciliation Council yesterday, . when a dispute between the Christchurch Gardeners’ Industrial Union of Workers and the Christchurch Domains Board and others was being heard. He claimed that this could not be said of sittings of the council in the South Island. Both sides met with one object in view and that was to reach a settlement.

“During the last few years,” said Mr Ritchie, “there have been several difficulties because of changing conditions and perhaps it is a feeling of fear for the future that has made the assessors timid at reaching a decision; but their timidity has only taken the form of an adjournment to give the matters further consideration.

‘That more than 80 per cent, of the disputes that have come before the council have resulted in complete settlement shows that common sense has been brought to bear in dealing with the difficulties faced by the council,” he added. “The meeting to-day has been particularly pleasing because we have been able to reach a settlement without an adjournment.”