HAIRDRESSERS' DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1827, 13 August 1913, Page 10

HAIRDRESSERS' DISPUTE.

' SETTLEJIE-\'T BEACHED. There was some skirmishing yesterday morning, when the Conciliation Council met to consider the Wellington hairdressers' dispute. Mr. IV Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, presided, and the assessors were:—For the employers, Messrs. \Y. 11. Bedell, G. 11. Price, and J. C. Cusack j' for' the' Union, Messrs.' H. Stanhopo, C. : Corbett, and W. Campbell. Sir. E. Kennedy appc-ared on uehalf of the union, and Jlr. W. A. W. Grenfeil for the employers. • Mr. Kennedy announced that nt a private conference, which had been held, a full settlement had been arrived at. He wished to express his appreciation of the omployers' action in meeting their workmon, and he com mended that course of action to other employers. It would make for industrial peace. Jlr. Grenfell mentioned there was one point which the employers did not foel disposed to accept—that was the preference clause. They .were prepared to consider preference, but not in the form embodied in the agreement put ill. , Jlr. Kennedy was surprised at 'the remarks of Jlr. Grenfell, who that the employers were prepared'to go back' on an honourable agreement. fie did not know that Jlr. Grenfell had been converted to tho doctrino held by another Labour organisation, which said: "To hell with agreements." The union was prepared to accept the whole of the agreement, but it -was not prepared to deviate from it. The preference clause in the agreement was contained in no fewer than 120 awards of the Court of Arbitration. If the employers went back on this agreement ho was sorry, to say there could be no settlement of the dispute. -It was the fact that this preference clause was inserted that led. the union to accept the other conditions. After a little further disevi-sio.il, the Commissioner suggested that the council should go into committee, and this course was agreed to. Subsequently Mr. Grenfell stated that, an the clause had been inserted in consideration of other concessions, the emplovers, would have lo accept the'agreement as a whole. He had not understood that this wa,s the ease' when ho raised the objection' in the first place. This being the only matter in dispute the agreement was accepted by both parties. ,