COUNCIL'S LAST OFFER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1354, 3 February 1912, Page 5

COUNCIL'S LAST OFFER.

REJECTED BY TMAMWAYMEM. FULLER MUST GO, BUT AT WHOSE BIBBING ? The tramways strike is still on. Yesterday the City Council were in treaty, part of the time per medium of a Special Committee, for the whol« day with the Strike Committee, discussing possible terms of settlement. The most important of the demands made on behalf of the union men— •that for an indemnity against possible penalties for breach of the strike • clauses of the Arbitration Act—tho council refused to discuss. They rejected it out of hand. The other demands they accoded to in effect, and the representatives of the strikers who met them decided to accept the council's terms, with professed reluctince, and to submit them to the uni&n at a meeting in the Concert Chamber in tho evening. At this meeting tho union took exception to the phrasing of one clause in the council's terms— "That Inspector Fuller be transferred at his own request to another branch ,of the'service." What the union men objected to in particular was the ' phrase, "at his own request." They,would not authorise their delegates to sign anything of the sort, and they therefore rejected the terms. The council had dispersed long before this, and councillors understood then that they had said their last word. It was arranged that they should meot again this morning to ratify the agreement if there should be any to be ratified, but now that their terms have been rejected, it is improbable that they > will meot. It is unlikely, therefore, that negotiations will be reopened to-day. STRIKERS' DEMANDS. COUNCIL'S ANSWER. 1. The permanent removal of In- 1. That Inspector Fuller bo transspector Puller from tho tramways forred at his own request to another eorvice. branch of the service. 2. That tho council give a written 2. Not considered. undertaking to indemnify against possible legal prosecutions any person involved in th« tramways dispute. 3. That the council guarantee that 3. That tho council guarantee that on resumption of work the men in- on tho resumption of wort the men I volved in this trouble shall not bo involved in the trouble shall not be subject to victimisation, but shall subject to victimisation, but shall be 'continue'in their employment as if no reinstated in their employment withcessation of work had occurred, out loss of status. !

'•"Such a February face, so full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness," was worn by •very member of the Strike Committee and nearly every member of the City Council yestorday, while tho very serious points of difference between the two bodies were being discussed. If appearances could bo relied upon, the striko leaders, and those of the strikers who cared enough about things to be interested, were the most unhappy people in Wellington yesterday. And yet outsido the sunless rooms in which two small sots of men tried to decide whether the people should Tide in their own street cars, tho sun kept on shining, and ordinary folk with work to do went about doing it very much as usual. .i Quite suddenly ■ people hare come to Toalise.that the city can bo still habitable Ttithout tramcars. As a matter of fact very many have felt 'distinct relief .in tie ] absence of noise, and in tho generally less , strenuous condition of things brought about by the stopping of the cars. They have found that their homes out of town can be reached on foot in tolerable comfort. and there is no clamour for tramcars. Others have dragged out bicycles from their resting places, and put them to good use. By and by there will be no sun, arid the raincoats may get an airing, but just now healthy people are doing themselves good by taking healthy exercise. Perhaps the strike leaders had som« of these things in mind when they wore trying in vain to reduce the council to their way of thinking. Flushed or haggard, according to their humour, their tired faces showed only too plainly that they were not absolutely confident of success, and showed, too, that there was not absolute unanimity in tho committee's ranks. A strike demonstration was held in tho Post Offico Square at the midday meal-hour, but it did not overawe the council. The union men wore confident at 1 o'clock that there would bo a settlement early in the afternoon, but it was about 6 o'clock before tho committee could bring themselves to accept tho final terms submitted by the City Council. Then they accepted tho terms offered, but in the last resort acceptance lay with tho anion, and the union withheld it.

Before the Strike Committeo agreed to the terms the members of the council left the building, satisfied with what they had done, and satisfied also that they had said their last word. If negotiations are opened again it is thought probable that the men will make the first more. Meantime, the electric light and the other electric power services go on as usual. Bmall economies are being practised to Bave current, but tho ordinary consumer is not inconvenienced. Presently the council may decide to run trams again, for it is understood that they have men enough to run 11 cars. And tho statement that they havo sought outside assistance is absolutely denied.