FLAX SWAMP HANDS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1371, 23 February 1912, Page 7

FLAX SWAMP HANDS.

POSITION EASIER. ,MEX DESITiE A CONFERENCE. The dispute of fluxmill hands in the Wellington district bears a less important appearance since yesterday. A meeting of the union was held at Palmerston yesterday to discu.-s the dispute which had arisen, and Mr. P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner) made it his business to be present. The trouble is not -about wages, but the working conditions of men cutting flax in the swamps. "Yes, 1 knew there was serious trouble threatening, ami I went up to Palmerston to do nil in my pawer to prevent its taking more serious .-hapc." said Mr. Hally to a reporter after his return last evening. "The men have new agreed to give me an opportunity to try to arrange a settlement, and, if the employers meet me in the same spirit, then I am sure that there need be no trouble anticipated. "There were 700 or SOO men at the meeting, all of whom appeared, to iny surprise, to be of a different type of man from that which I had been led to believe was a true picture of the 'fiaxie.' They appeared to me intelligent, honest, well-found young fellows. They Here \>f opinion that they were not being fairly dealt with, but, before taking an extreme step, or in other words 'going on strike.' they were willing 'to have a word with the' bosses." In this respect at anyrnte they showed some common sense. "My own opinion is that if the employers meet the men and di.-cu.-s the items in dispute the result of the conference need not ho different, from that of a number of others that have taken place lately. If the pe-rtits meet, the resl of the business should be easy. I propose to invite both parties to meet me to discuss the situation next Tuesday at Palmerston, and 1 think they will accept the invitation. If they refus?, then my ditty is done. 1 express no opinion on the merits of the case. I have only heard one side of it." AVhat is likely to happen if there is no settlement? "The only answer I can give is the answer several workers gave to me to-day when I discussed possibilities with them: 'Take it from me, there will he very little flax to mill during the next five years in the Manawatu.' From the tempor of the meeting I should say without hesitation that the men will strike, and that they will be unanimous about it. But no such proceeding may bs necessary. The men and their leaders are anxious to act in a reasonable way. "As a matter of fact, my advice to the men, which I think will.be acted upon, was to go back to work and leave the settlement of the dispute to their committee." A Press Association message from Palmerston states: "The men bad left their mills throughout the West Coast at the bidding of the Flax Workers' Union to attend the meeting, the mills having to close down."