TRAMWAY CONTROL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1888, 24 October 1913, Page 3

TRAMWAY CONTROL.

IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. | __ QUESTION OF PROCEDURE; A POINT IN DISPUTE. An important conference sat in Wellington yesterday to consider the proposed Government regulations for the government of electric and other tramways in the Dominion. Tho conference, which was called by the Minister of Public Works (Hon. W. Fraser), was ■ attended by representatives of tho Department, tramway boards, and companies owning tramways, the local bodies through whose districts the tramways run, and of tho tramway employees' unions in each district. When . the conference opened, all the delegates sat together. Mr. R. W. Holmes, En-gineor-in-Chief of tho Public Works Department, presided, and the Minister was also in attendance. Mr. Fraser's Address. The Minister, in tho course of a 6hort address, said that his object in calling tho conference was because there had never really been a complete set of regulations drawn up with regard to the working of tramways. He wished them to discuss the proposals he had put before thom, and then to forward their opinions to him. Ho hoped their advice would be such that he could follow it. It had bebn suggested to him; ; and he thought the suggestion a good ono, that tho employers should meet ' first, and submit their resolutions to him. He would then submit these . resolutions to the employees' delegates, who could then deal with them. In this way tliey could get clearer and fairer discussion, and it would be a bet- | ter thing in every way. Ho wanted advice as to the best way to clear up and finish the regulations. If there was anything in the employers' resolutions ' of which the workers could not approve, they could both sit later in conference, and settle the questions in dispute. Ho was not going to take as final the eoti- . elusions arrived at by either side. He would still \ exercise his discretion in • framing the'regulations, and would not ; shirk his responsibility as Minister. ' . No Amendments to Act. There was> not tho slightest prospect, the Minister continued, of any change in the Tramways Act, this session at least, unless the conference could prove to him that there was something really urgent which must be dealt with. At this late stage of tho session ho would not be able to persuade his colleagues to introduce a Bill dealing with general dissatisfaction with the Act. There must be something specific. The question of regulations did not enter into the matter. These wore drawn up by himself, and did not com© before Parliament. Auckland's Position. Mr. P. M. Mackay (Auckland) said that he represented a corporation which was in a peculiar position. It was neither ail employer nor an employee. The Auckland City Council had delegated its powers to a foreign company in the' matter of running its trams. Ho himself represented tho City Council, i whilo Mr. Coyle represented tho Auckland Local Bodies' Municipal Association —consisting of several municipali- ; ties through which tho trams ran—and ' Mr. Warnock represented the Grey • Lynn Borough Council. He would like 1 to . know what ..their.. position was. MK Fraser 'said that he could not see why tho Auckland delegates should - not sit with the other local bodies' representatives. It was true that Auckland had delegated its powers, but at some future date something might hapi pen to alter that' state of things, and ' then tho Aupkland Council would be in ; the same position as the other bodies. Ho' wished also to say that if anybody had sent two delegates, it must bo understood that only one could speak end ■ vote. Otherwise it would not bo fair to those bodies which had sent only ono delegate. Mr. Mackay pointed out that Mr. Coyle represented a. number of local | bodies, each of which was surely entitled to register a vote. The Minister: Oh, no! The Right Attitude. Mr. J. P. Luke (Mayor of Wellington) said that he thought the Minister had taken the right stand as to the method' of carrying out the work of the conference. If there was any great difference between the views of tho two sections, a conference could be arranged between them, together with the officers of tho Department. This, lie felt sure, would save time and trouble. In the present conference ho was more concerned with tho question of the Tramways Boards than with the technical running of the cars. In Wellington the corporation had delegated the running of its service'to a board. To sottle the voting question the Minister said that he would be guided, not by the actual voting of the conference, but by tho amendments moved, and the arguments put forward in their favour. Ho did not think that a delegate should exorcise a vote for more than one local body, but this was a matter which he would leave in the hands of the conferMr. Coyle said that the Auckland delegates were concerned in a desire to amend tho Act. Ho understood that there was not much chanco of this at • present, but he thought tfrere would., be no harm in discussing it. The Minister: Certainly not. I Protest by Workers. Mr. H. Hunter (Auckland), on behalf ' of the employers' unions, said that tliey I could not agree with the Minister's proj posal to split the conference. From , what he knew of employer and employee, - there would be a lack of agreement, and 1 another conference would be necessary. > They had understood that they wero to ■ be giveu an opportunity to discuss the 1 regulations with the employers' representatives, and ho asked the to adhere closely to the original intention . of the conference. Ho also protested [ against any one delegate exercising - moro than one vote. The Minister said that he was still of the opinion that tho course he had proposed would result in a great saving ' of time. , ~ „ r , Mr. W. Noot, secretary of the ellington "Union, said that the Minister s letter had invited only ono delegate. The unions had sent ono delegate apiece, but when ho looked round the room, lie saw that several of the employers had more than one. . I'or mi stance, Wellington City was represented 1 by tho Mayor and the members of the Tramways Board. Could they all speak and vote? , The Minister said that it would not j matter very much if they did in the i employers' conference, but the matter might have to bo reconsidered when the two sections subsequently sat together. Not a Matter of Voting. Mr. Luke: I suggest that when the general conference is hold there should be no vote taken. He said ho could not understand the desire of the unions to hold a general conference. Tho carrying-on of a tram service was a matter of great responsibility to municipal authorities, and their administration was a matter for experts. The municipalities could not bring in outsiders, and ask their advice in the government of their towns. He thought that the two sections should sit simultaneously, and come to their own decisions. These decisions could then bo put ' beforo the Minister and Mr. Holmes by, say, two delegates from

each section. It was not a matter of voting at all. Tho Minister said that after both sections had considered the remits, itwould probably be found that they' agreed on many of tliem. They would not then have to' wasto time by discussing these remits in conference. He again emphasised that tho_ matter of voting was one of minor importance. Tho final decision lay with himself, and ho wished to framo the best system of regulations possible. The responsibility lay with him. The course he proposed would bo a decided advantage to tho employees, who would have beforo them tho views of the employers, all ready for discussion. The employers would not havo this advantage. Separate Conferences. At this stage the conference divided, the employers' representatives and the experts meeting in the council chamber, and tho unions' delegates in ono of the committee rooms. Both these conferences were private. The workers sat for only a few hours, but the employers and experts were "engaged throughout the day. The employers eat until a late hour last evening, still in committee, They will resume at 10 a.m. to-day.