THE BOOT TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1440, 15 May 1912, Page 8

THE BOOT TRADE.

«~ •» • AND CONCILIATION. NEARLY. FAILS RIGHT OFF. (Br Telegraph.-Prcß! Association,) Auckland, May 14, Tho Conciliation Council was engaged this morning in hearing a dispute filed by tho Federated Boot Trade Association, against the ■Manufacturers Vnion. The claims of employees included shortening of hours, increase of wages, and a genera! improvement of conditions. The commissioner (Mr. T. Jlnrlc Gilos) presided, tho assessors for the employees being Jlessrs. J. Hutchinson, of Wellington, S. C. Brown, of Dunedin, find C. V. I3arnes, of Auckland. Tho ■ assessors for the I employers were: Messrs. William M'Kinley, of Dunedin, T. Hodgson, of Auckland, and W. H. Murray, of Auckland. Mr. W. Pryor, secretary of the New Zealand Employers Federation, appeared for the employers, and Mr. U. Whiting, of ChristcliUTch, for tho employees. Mr. Whiting had begun to put his case when Mr. Pryor interrupted. The employers wero not prepared to go on with the matter before llie Conciliation Council. The objection was that this was only a local dispute, while the object desired was to tufa; stops for a Dominion award. Mr. Whiting demurred at such an attitude.

.Mr. Pr.vor ri'ilernU'd thai his «in> vero nut prepared to so on. In fact, lh<v (.ontidoied Hint the time was rij:e lor (he matter to po before the Arbitration "'Hio Comini^ionei , 'said lint it was Unu' thai a conl'eivnec hart «wn held in Wfllincton, and that it had been aborlivo lo a'prcatiwlent. but it often happeueil that liino ripened the views of both M'K a nil he Misposted that, as !i Joiml dispulo. a. settlement imifiit be arrived al mbieel to the rei'nmnieiulnlions bi'iiiß embodied in n dominion award. Mr. I'ryiir nbiecfeil (hat (ho employers lit thf cniifpl'Mico in Wellington WMit. fiir(iier (linn the employors gcncrall.v would have aorrwd Id go. Mr Wliitinp oxprcssed himso'i ai a loss to'understand the attitudo. of the Kniployers, Vcrturafion. The expressed the niiinion that a inore repwonlalive rnnferenro could not have been got toßctlier. and he thought that-it would be a pity if no ntteinpt wore made to arrive at some undc-r----stftnding, . Both parties then separated to confer privatoly on the jMSition, and, at tho wsnmpiion of Hie sitting, Mr. Prynr ngrwd to dismiss tho niftttc-r further, providing that t.ho union repro?enlatives would, in Iho nipaiiwhile. narrow down tliuir tleijiK io boilrock. The employers would stick out. for the old award, with very few .modification*.

After further discussion, it was decided to adjourn io enable tho employers' ropr*?enlftHves tn consider (he advisableness of submitting modified proposals.