THE NEGOTIATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1938, 22 December 1913, Page 6

THE NEGOTIATIONS.

STRIKE EXECUTIVES DOINGS. . HOW THE END CAME. Last evening meetings wero bold at tho Opera House and His Majesty's Theatre. At tho Opera. House, whero thcro was a large gathering, tho- chief speaker was Mr. J. Dawgray, vicepresident of tho Federation of Labour, Mr. Dowgray spoko of tho negotiations between various executive bodies representing strikers (the negotiations immediately preceding tho end of the strike), and said before doing so he wished to avoid casting ally personal re* flection. Mr. Dowgray said that a conference of representatives from tho Central Strike Committeo and the Ekccutive of the Federation of Labour mot 1 011 December Oil assembling that i morning they learned that 1 representatives of the seamen were in conference,' too, delegates being present from Duncdin, Auckland, and Wellington. "Wo sent a deputation across inviting them to join us. Tlicy refused, saying they camo up to discuss seamen's business only. A deputation, consisting of Mr. Iliekey and myself, was set upby us to wait on the seamen's delegate's that) night at 7 o'clock. We put the position before them and again invited them to join us so as to avoid any sectionalism. The chairman of the seamen's conference was very omphalic and stated that there was no intention on the seamen's part of having any sectional settlement, but that t'hey had arranged, a conference with the shipping compan-! ies for Saturday morning (December! 13), and that they purposed that night I drawing up proposals for'a settlement of' tho seamen's dispute and also opening u» negotiations so far as the miners and waterside workers were concerned. Tlie.v said that thev would discuss our invitation, and give us,-<:t reply, the'following I.'! 01 nil! :j. ■

"At a fpiartor past om> otr-fbeSatnr-da.v we were iiiformed by Mr. W. "T. Youiik tlwt the sc.niion's : ■ dplpgafes would join us in conference at the Trade's Hall at- 3 o'clock that afternoon. W'c mot at 3 o'clock, and Mr. Macks", (Jugate from Auckland,, gavo a ro-

f b.y'Jthcni ;.' I and' submitted;. l6*-tlio> employers/that '■ I . Ijo ..-statou they : '.'iiail pointed out to"tlie.;sliipn\vnci's'tiiat thoro : '.waH no', chatted'.of'a settlement unless '-a ! ■ *-v;iS;ijrrlyosL' ? ni' with iiili]- ■ wei'ijjnnxious ' thst ' if -v. a -* 1 )' nif'iii •.iiTvijwrijt Ijoitt all ■ the 'ivorkj-siniultaiie- . r ait'l I i;s 'ciKilil: mil "ho. (lorn?' if the I !i ''''i.e.ill./_rayia;iicd.v.put Tho whole | of-tlir- ■ot*oii i[i ii'a ss>6ntfll i- ,disr!tssi 11 c S i. 1 !: 1 nciion oi - tiic-* : <ii:d ti "was miau.v !i:--()ly;v!. iidiiinni" tiuvWi'iiiVr'!"T. " '''""''VSii!ii!:;v-.iminani:, atj.vlie ■l p tier a t \ii 1 s/s.fo f si c,p O'ti-i/J'l i 6 o '>"ca in»_' 11' s jn : |U C , coulcrciiooj. i'livj-tJt^ : -. r n'itlit l ic-v bllfr'-'.y°>ro.' hriuwl by- ijnv iuscitiurn of tnc-ennjY-rersee.. On Siitvlay, JJ'-'C! I HI lici' : i^4,,^jihc^^VL , n6riiVv;vcpnfcroiiry .OiiiJlomlay.Tijm-; pi'opnsafsyvprejclrnl'teJ hn'.'ai iiHtioiiai set-' j I si tiv.esSbtethe^sba'hi'eu: (.tlcA.irs.\ /UMiiis.'-uu! ..Mnckio). tv.vi "'ic prc:-e::t:\:iv:'s oi t];t» is:!i:!-r:i,(.\li-...\Vo;uis and ji!yself),.;aiid,.t\vo ioiv-.tlscX\vat<;rt;i(lo ivorkcrs-'XMbssrsS'CurticqjHnd f\%iye(i}' .H'oro npp o iiitod ;; to:,'v;aji ;j>ritKt!ie;;prot ioii..>;K/r]io I'ssnnie'f'flppiitntioh''."; %vas; cmpowcred 'to. mr'eujthe.'employer's if a "'colt-' arrangot}.'.Mr. Young; ■■B'licn'putting..the; case, before the' Prime J1 >msi^r,^toW;l)i»utliaf' thfe'seamen had inoo., tlie,;"slnpo\s;!ior.s..,on ~t!icSaturday ami' laid proposal before item .for a setHvmpu! '0? 'the dispute, hut that lie did not think thbro'AVixE ■ any 'likelihood oi' it' Iming arrivedraj|[.i]iilcßs'.:tlio'.miners and tlie wa.tmi(ters}jt;crejrccogm'so<l.- The j.'rime'■ slsiiister2l)romiscd'to lay it before , f lO enip a ndtospskl a. reply • I through:.Mr; Robertson;' sev i on.'- the

Monday night, \a'ndoii'the Tiiosdnv'(December .36) a!! day; ' On . tho -Tuesday night ' tho' Federation'" rec'eiml a reply from, the-Prime.-.Minister through Mr. Robertson-.that the. employers declined to meet -thb- deputation" until the conierence : between the seamen - and the shipowners had- completed'.their.- nreotinttons. Oa -i Wednesday v the seatijeu asam met.the employers; Ou Wednesday mgut'Mr. Young-reported to thu Moderation conference that the seamen had ariivcd at a satisfactory settlement, vt'ii- 1 :e registration of tho Wellington . and -.Dtntcdm - branchca nm.er ih-c Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and that the 'seamen's .do'.t-gates had telegraphed tho proposals on to Auckland and IJuticdii!, with a recommendation that the seamen adopt tliern, provided that the/, employers agreed to meat tho coal-miners.'Meet-ings,-. hoiaddod,---would-. bo 1 held "in tho various';centres.at,,2.o'clock on Thursday afternoon. - • C{ ' p . l ' a t ! on'*eonf?rence'- then do-, cided to submit;ftwo. proposals to theCitizens' 'l)elencp Committee in' regard to tho Wat-cramr; - Workers' Union. I iesi- wo'sent; again' through tho I'nme Minister, oi> tho Friday (December 1.-u. . tie seamen's meetings ivere held on tho J-lmrsd.'iy. Tho Wellington Branch turned down.the-proposals by ms owIlul .'°nty, ii-ilt tlio secretary (Mr. loling) moved that the conference stand adjourned .till tho Friday, at 2 o clock,- to .seo if tho cmplovers agreed to meet the miners.- .The' Auckland seamen adopted tho proposals, with tho exception of two minor items, and tin, Dunedin seamen adopted them in toto. No mention was mado of tho proviso in cauncetiou with thomminos, -okcept at the Wellington, meeting. On Friday morning Mr loung informed-tho liWcratfen. conference; that if tho owners still, refused to meet the coal-miners ho would adjourn ' tho seamen's conference till Saturday, at 2 o'clock, and, if they did - not .agree then, till Monday, ■ and so-:on ir-om -day to day

until a- settlement was arrived at. JJo then . Jolt, the.-conference and went to meet ;"the .'seamen',s-'didegates at the seamen's office;.' "Teh;minutes after he leU, tho, Federation Confcremro was rung up'with a. request from the sea--1 nam's. au-'s thai. Mr, ilickey and I should ati'-iid at- tiie .scameh's oflko. Wo went'over; there,-and Mr. Jack, a delcgutb irora Auckland,' informed us that he had promised tho employers that an agreement would bo signed up that 'afternoon at' 4 o'clock, and that so far'as'he was concerned ho was going to carry out. his promise, irrespective of what decision was arrived at by the men.;'. Mr. Smith, of Dune-din, also declared that lie would carry -out his promise by...signing up tho agreement..- Mr. Young said that'lie wanted it made quito clear,,to..,.us. that ho did not know of this'promise when he.said he would postpone tho seamen's meeting day to day, nor did ho ■ influence tiie other delegates, in any- way. Mr.'.lack wanted Mr. Hickey find I i:o attend the seamen's meeting aiid advise the men to sign up to s;ive tho Auckland organisation, and this wo declined to- do. -:wv pointed out that ' while recognising the awkwardness of their position,, wc could not undertake this, seeing that, wo had got no reply from .tlio,employers in regard to tlio proposals made,. and that in any ease' we could;'not.- attend a ■ meeting, for that purpose without, instructions from tho executive... ..

f "The seamen"' then appointed three delegates, representing ■ Wellington, Auckland, aml.Duiicdiii,' to wait 011 tho ship-ownei'S;.;'to get thein to use their influence t?..get a reply from tile mineowners - with "regard to tho conference 1 before tho seamen met that afternoon, but-nothing came of it. Tho Federation Conference was ■still - in session, and about a Quarter to four we received word from tho seamen that they had agreed to sign up about 4.30 that'after11c011, and at tho samo iirno {by a strange coincidence) wc' received a verbal message from • the Citizens' Defence Committeo that thev refused to entertain our proposals. ' No reply had then been - received;- from tho mincowncrsi

"The Federation. Conference then reviewed'tho whole position, and arrived at tho conclusion that, seeing that tho seamen were going back to .work, it was going ~to . servo no useful purpose in keeping the ■ watersiders out, and unanimously decided to call tho strike off, willi the' exception of the coalminers, who will still remain out pending a reply front tho colliery-owners, which, it - is understood, will be forthcoming in a day or two. This decision was telegraphed to every, centre in New Zealand." . - . '.'" " ■.: ■■ ■