DEFINITE ANSWER DEMANDED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1224, 5 September 1911, Page 7

DEFINITE ANSWER DEMANDED.

COUNCIL AND TRAMWAYMEN. "SIDE-TRACKING" DENIED. One of the decisions arrived at by the city tramwaymen at their meeting on Sunday was tho resolve to obtain from the Tramways Committee of tho City Council a definite statement of the subject of tho union's demands for a new awtiTil." "When aro wo going to have a. settlement, one way or the other?" was in effect tho question which the meeting decided should bo put to the committee, and with that purpose in view, a deputation of . three—Messrs. Dalton, Porkins, and Sutherland (president, vice-president, j end secretary respectively, of tho union)— was appointed to interview the committee at its meeting yesterday. The delegates pointed out that it was tho desire of the union that its demands should be considered at tho earliest possible date. These claims had been 'on tho board" over since October last, eleven months ago —rather an extraordinary length of time for tho consideration of any union's demands. I'ho acting-chairman of the committee (Councillor J. Smith) stated that the Mayor's recent illness had delayed the progress of the negotiations towards what was hoped would be a satisfactory settlement. His Worship was almost himself again, and was at present enjoying a 6hort holiday. He would be back in the course of a few days, and the whole ciTiestion would bo gone into at the earliest possible date after L's return. Mr. Sutherland, thp union's secretary, said that tho union vould not understand •why the matter shov.id stand over by reason of the Mayor's absence. Why could not the council face the situation now? The chairman said that it was tho desire of tho council that the Mayor should . retain control : of the negotiations. Definite Reply Asked For. "This deputation has been instructed by the union to get a definite reply from tho committee," observed Mr. Sutherland, -"otherwise we will proceed by way of the Conciliation Council and the Arbitration Court." ' Tlifl union, he added, could not be accused, of impatience in the matter, but there was- a general feeling among the men that the question had been side-tracked. "Ton have no right to rnako such a statement," said the acting-chairman, with warmth. "When tho salaries of the council's officers came up for consideration they .were dealt with at once," commented Air. Sutherland. "That is an entirely different matter,' observed Councillor Smith. " A Sequence of Circumstances. ' Councillor Shirtcliffe assured the deputation that the council had no intention of shelving consideration of tho union's demands. A sequence of circumstances had simply delayed matters. In all probability the committee would bo able to resuino consideration of the question next week, after the Mayor's return. , He did not think the committee conld say more than that. Jlr. Sutherland insisted that tho council was just as capable of dealing with tho matter if the Mayor, was not in a condition to do so. . ' Councillor Shirtcliffe thought that that was hardly fair to tho Mayor, who was the council's chief. executive officer, and should be allowed the few days neci..sary to enable him to take tho matter,in hand. Mr. Sutherland reminded the committee that it had not approached tho council during the Mayor's recent illness. Since his recovery it had appeared to the union that the matter had been sidetracked. Councillor Shirtcliffo denied this. Mr. I'erkin3 said that the position'had been aggravated by the action _of tho boiincil in passing on to the consideration , i of the officers' salaries, leaving tho union on ono side. . "The two questions aro not on the samemooting," said Councillor Fletcher. There wero two sides to tho matters in'dispute between tho corporation.and the nnion. Mr. Sutherland remarked _ that the : nnion was prepared to face its case before the" council, the committee, the public, or anybody else. Mr. Porkins said that they had been sent from a special general meeting of tho union with full instructions to get a definite reply from .the committee. Mr. Dalton suggested that if the comreittpe could not decide the union might appeal to tho City Council. Councillor Smith repliod that the committee had nothing to add to what had already been raid to the deputation. Councillor Fletcher thought that the chairman could say that if the Mayor was not abb to discuss the matter next week the committee would do so. They had waited so long that surely a delay of a few more days would hot matter much., Councillor Smith said that ho wou.d answer for what Councillor Fletcher had Councillor Fletcher added that the Mayor was in possession of certain data Which the committee had-not at hand. Mr. Sutherland indicated that tho union's patience had been moro than reasonably taxed. . " Councillor Shirtcliffo assured the deputation that, they wonkl hear from the .Mayor on Tuesday week. "Well," said Mr. Sutherland, 'we were instructed to say that if we could not get n definite answer a ballot would bo held to-morrow.' After further desultory talk, the deputatica withdrew