FURNITURE TRADE DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1269, 26 October 1911, Page 5

FURNITURE TRADE DISPUTE.

The sitting of tho Conciliation Council >n Tuesday morning, held to consider tho furniture trade dispute, was very ranch mo>ro placid than were former sittings concerning the same matter. The employers were represented bv Mr. \V. A. W. GTenfell (agent), and Messrs. B. Dohcrly, A. Bishop, and W". Marshall (ass2s9cir<o. •Mr. A. 11. Cooper (agent), and Messrs. D. Moriarty, J. l'orguton, and D. It. Kennedy (assessors) represented Hie union. Jlost of tho preliminary issues, such as exemptions, had been settled at previous sessions, and the main questions left to Ik determined concerned hours of work. Befors the Council vent into committee, Mr. Cooper said he was glad to state that so far as the union was concerned, tWc was every possibility of tho dispute beinj jattled before the Council. Referring to :ho exemption granted to wicker-workora it last meeting, Sir. Cooper said that the union still objected to its planted, jnd if (ho Council refusal to reinstate these parties the dispute would have to ;o before tho Arbitration Court. He suggested that the Council should agree fo i conference between omployors concerned sii tho one hand and the union on tho jlio.r, to settle tho question of whether .viciccr-workors and wire-mattress workers should be exempted. Air. Great ell thought that, as neither jf these parties had been cited, the portion of tho dispute which concerned iiem should bo left for future eousideraion. For the present tho Council was loncerned with the furniture trade alone, ind if that dispute v;ere settled, it vould still Ijo open to the union to asl; .'or an award for tho other classes of Yorkers mentioned. Tho commissioner said that the other ;wo branches of the furniture industry vould be considered later. Meantime the 'onncil would conline its attention to urniture-makers. The demands were discussed by the Jouncil in committee, but tho recomnendations will not be filed until the larties in other centres have presented ,heir coses. The Conncil leaves Wellington for Hastings to-day, to consider the furni:ure dispute "at Hastings to-morrow. U'tenvards sittings will be held at IValganui on Monday, and at Palmerston m Wednesday.