HARBOUR BOARD IN CAMERA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1898, 5 November 1913, Page 6

HARBOUR BOARD IN CAMERA.

PEACE PROPOSALS.-

ME. FLETCHER'S ATTITUDE.

A special meeting of tlio Wellington Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon. The chairman (Sir. It. Plotclier) presided, and there was a full at* tendance of members. Tlio meeting was held in committee, but a statement of tlio busiucss done was dictated to tlio representatives of tlio Press by the chairman. 6omo tinio after tho meeting had concluded.

The meeting had been called, Mr. Fletcher said, at the instigation of two members of the board, to settlo the strike question, Tho first thing they wanted to inquire into was his action in regard to his accepting the services, of soino union men to act as pickets inside tlio wharf gates, to co-opsrate with tho wharfinger and himself in maintaining order and keeping' the crowd back. "And here," said Mr. Fletcher, "I want to put on Record my very hearty appreciation of the services rendered by these men. Objection has been taken to my action in this matter, but it was absolutely necessary if order was to bo. maintained." Harbour Sheds for Poifoo. , The other point brought up by the members calling tho meeting, said Mr. Fletcher, was with regard to his action in connection with the verbal application of Commission Cullen that, one

or two of the board's sheds should bo lent to the authorities for the housing of men and the stabling of horses, then arriving in the city. His idea in regard to this matter had been very much misrepresented 1 . Tho Commissioner and Colonel Heard had interviewed him in the presence of tho secretary (Mr. Nicliolls) on Tuesday last, and had discussed in a casual way the question of tho board providing sheds. The chairman's reply was that he would liavo

first to inquire of the proper officer, the wharfinger, whether tho sheds wers va- | cant—whether there were no goods in , them. Ho also Baid that the responsibility for such action as was suggested to him was such that ho could not accept without consultation with members of tho hoard. "Quito Untrug," Mr. Fletcher continued:—'They we:o merely looking at tho question from a police point of view; I was looking at it tiom tho point of view of tho safety of tho board's property. Immediately the sheds were so used, the wliolo of the property of the board would become a target for violenso and destruction, against which, at that timo, no polioo protection was available. Commissioner Cullsn later mode a statement to the A ttorn-oy-General (Hon. A. L. Hordman) that tho hoard had declined the application. This statement was quito untrue. ■ I left Mr. Cullon in this office, as I liad to attend another meeting, and Iliave nover seen him since. When I left, thero was an understanding that inquiries would be made, and that I should sea liira later. Mr. Nicholls, who was present, can corroborate these stat&menii. As soon as I returned to tlie office, I communicated with all the members of the board by telegraph or telephone, and asked their opinion as to the slicds being used by tlio police. The members all gavo their consent to tho use of tho sheds, if necessary, although in 6ome cases consent Was given' with more or loss reluctance. Commissioner Cullon has not- communicated with. mo since in any way. I recognised that tho authorities 'could tako the sheds whenever they wanted them, without asking my permission. I knew that quite well. I tuggested to . Colonel Heard that tho proper course was to tako tho men to the barracks. This might, perhaps, savour of militarism, but it was not fair to saddle tho responsibility of housing the men on a, local body.

"TIIO following day I received a lettor from Mr. Hordman, in which ho complained that the board had refused to grant the use of tho sheds. I communicated with Mr. Hordman by telephone, and explained the whole posi* tiott, giving him verbatim tiio conversation which I had had with tho Commis* sioncr. I pointed out that tho Government should take the responsibility of commandeering the sheds, if they wanted them, instead of placing tho responsibility on my shoulders. At tho same time, I pointed out that if tho statements made by Commissioner Cullcn wore as sot out in tho letter, they were absolutely untrue. Mr. Herdmaii accepted my statement, which was corroborated by Mr. Nioholis. That, I think, clears mo so far as tho question of tho sheds, is concerned."

Chairman's Action Approved. Whoa tho board met yesterday afternoon, Mr. Fletcher continued, tile following resolution was carried: —"That this board, haying heard the statement of tho chairman with regard to his conduct of Btriko matters since tho last meeting of tho board, heartily approves his action, and authorises him to mako whatever explanation to tho Press he deems nocessary or advisable." Attempt at Settlement. Tho board then went on to consider tho wider question of the 'strike generI ally, and passed tho following resolution"That this board, with a view to assisting in a settlement of present difficulties, invites delegates from the employers and dolegates from tho employees to a conferenco with tho board, to bo presided over, if possiblo, by the Prime Minister, at 7.80 this evening." It was hopea, Mr. Fletcher . said; that even at this late hour, some attempt could be inado to settle this unfortunate business. "I pointed out to tho board that ; my . conduct right through the business had been. Buch, as far as possible, to exhaust all moans to settle what appealed to m?- mind as a national disaster, if it wero allowed to go on. I thought that thoso peoplo who were thwarting » settlement hardly recognised the gravity of tho position, and/ the appalling, results that might ensue. It appeared to mo right through the .pieco that the dividing lino was "arbitration or 110 arbitration." I was of tho opinion that something might have been settled outside tho Arbitration Act. Tho proposition, for instance, that was first submitted by the employers' committee to tho Waterside Workers' Union, that a national agreement for three years, with a penalty clause for stoppage of work, might have beeii acceptable to both partios, on the condition that_ thoro was an additional clause providing that at a.timo when a strike was contemplated a secret ballot should be taken under tho supervision of a Government officer. That seemed to mo to bo a solution—-and a better solution than tho Arbitration Act. The Arbitration Act did not seem to minimise tho liability to strike—as witness tho watersidcra' etriko at Groymouth yesterday, Employors Refuse to Confer. After tho board rose, Mr. Fletcher ; continued, tho officers of the board attempted to make arrangements for tho proposed conference. When the proposal w;as placed before tho employers, they passed tho following resolution: — "That in view of the attitude , of the : representatives of tho men at tho eonforenco this afternoon, 110 good object will bo served by meeting 'tho samo representatives again, unless wo aro first assured that they aro prepared to roconsidor their decision not io como under tho Arbitration Act-." Mr. Massoy was willing to attend a conforonoo, Whoa tlio mou wore comjismkwM Kilftu ikea of fihek.

delegates could be found at the time, I but thoy were nil willing to moot tho board. Owing to tho attitudo of tlio I employers, however, tho sehemo fell through, and matt-era remained aB thoy WOK.

"This ended the eleventh-hour attempt to fix things up," commented Mr. Fletcher. " I have been much misrepresented throughout bj both employers and employees. My position was quite clear to me. I had to hold tho scales of justice impartially between both parties. I was sent hero to represent tho public, and I had to consider the whole public, and not ono section of it. Whatever my personal inclinations may bo—and tlioy wero against free labour—l had to carry out my duties as directed by tho board; and 1 still intend to carry out those duties, whatever the sacrifice and cost to myself may bo."