APPEAL TO CAESAR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 863, 8 July 1910, Page 5

APPEAL TO CAESAR.

INEFFECTIVE INTERVIEW. COMPLAINT AGAINST LABOUB INSPECTORS. Tho controversy between the Labour Department and the Furniture Traded Union led to a rather curious interview between. Ministers and a deputation last evening. It' will be remembered that Mr. D. Moriarty, secretary to the Furniture Trades Union, speaking as the leader of a deputation to the Minister for Labour 6ome time ago, complained that the Labour Department had not prosecuted employers for breaches of ayvard in several cases which he had brought .under its notice. Tho Labour Department defended itself in a detailed statement 011 thu several cases adduced by Mr. Moriarty. The Minister, 011 being again approached by Mr. .Moriarty, stood by the- Department, and the next step was that Mr. Moriarty made "appeal to Caesar." In other words, he sought an interview with the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward). The interview was fixed for 9.30 o'clock last evening, tho time of the supper adjournment of the House. Mr. Moriarty and two other gentlemen were introduced by aMr. W. H. Field, M.P. The Prime -Minister received them cordially and sent for refreshments. He also suggested that Mr. Millar, Minister for Labour, should be present. Nobody objected, and Mr. Millar came in. Mr. Moriarty, having been warned that the Prime Minister was only at liberty for half an hour, began to state his case. He read a letter from the Hon. J. A. Millar, stating that he had gone into the matter put before him and was satisfied that the Labour Department was doing its work honestly. Mr. Moriarty began to review in some detail, and with the aid of a large sheaf of documentary matter, tho cases which had previously been discussed by both, parties, as reported in The Dominion. _lle had scarcely got further than Case Numbe.r One, when the Premier mentioned that lie must be in liis place in. the House in five minutes' time. Mr. Moriarty proceeded hurriedly. "The Department won't do anything at all for us," he said. "We have lost all confidence in them. At any tribunal you. like to set up, we will prove what wo state. Practically every other union in town is in the same box." Very little more had been said, when Sir Joseph Ward roso and stated that he absolutely must lie in tho House in half a minute. Air. .Moriarty then sat down. The Prime Minister said that important statements relating to the Department of his colleague, who was present, had been made by Mr. Moriarty. He was perfectly sure that every aspect of the matter would be investigated. That would have to be done before any definite statement could be made. As he was now obliged to return to his place in the House, he must leave the deputation to Mr. Millar. As the Prime Minister withdrew, Mr. Millar remarked that he had heard it all before. The proceedings then drifted into an altercation between the Minister and Mr. Moriarty. "Now, as Minister for Labour." said the latter, "is it right for you to flout the law?" Mr. Millar: "I've got no light to flout the law, but I'm not going to persecute anyone. It amounts to persecution if you drag a man to Court when he didn't know 110 was breaking the law." The Minister also said that he was not going to allow any man to tell his officers that a breach had been committed, and that they must take action. He had been through the whole matter, and he believed that his officers were honestly doing their duty.