TRAM STOPPAGE OFF

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1946, Page 5

TRAM STOPPAGE OFF

-Press Association

Meh TflW To Carry On \ ' , federation intervenes ,

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Dec. 19. Wellington city Prams, buses and eable ears will be I'ltnning tolirorrow. At an urgent eonferenee today tbe threatened one-day h'old-np at the heiglrt oi the Ghl'istmas ritsh p'ei'iod, was ave-rt-ed. A further conl'erence will be held tomorrow in an attempt 1b reach a fivll settlement. The New -Z'ealand Federation of Labour and Transport Workers Federation intervened today ih . the dispute between the Wellington City Conneil and Tramways Union. After consultation witll officials of the Union and Cr. W. H. Stevens, representing the tramways eommittee of the City CouiVr eil, Mr. W. A. Fox, of tlre Now Zealand Transport Workers Federation, issued the followiUg statement : — "It is- jointly agreed that the speeial roster posted for Friday, December 20, should be cancelled and the matters in dispute will be diseussed at a conl'erence to be held on Friday morning at which the following pai'ties will be represented : City Couireil, Tramways Union, Federation of Labour and Transport Workers Federation. The stopwork meeting schednled for tomorrow is postpoired and all tramways employees are instrueted by their union officials to report for duty and pcrform their norma! shifts in conformity with the decision of the union made on Suiiday, December 8." To minimise the impact of a possilile tram stoppage the Wellington City Conneil had arrangemcnts in liand to issue a ehit for a gallon of free p'otrol to any motorist who Avas prepared to co-oper-ate iii t-ransporting Wellington 's workers into the city from the ; suburbs and taking them home. Traffic inspectors 011 duty in th'e suburbs between 7 a.m. and '9 a.m. were to issue chits, on application, to driyers of full ears. The Mavor ( AIi*. Appleton) exyressod concorn for workers and women sliop])ers, and appealed fo ' aiotorists for co-opcration.