THE PETONE DEADLOCK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2742, 10 April 1916, Page 6

THE PETONE DEADLOCK

REPLY TO WOOLLEN CO.'S OFFER

On Saturday morning the terms which tho Wellington Woollen Company was prepared to offer as a basis of a settlement of the dispute between the mill-hands and the company were published. When submitted to Mr. E. Kennedy, the secretary of the union, on Saturday, he said:— . "I was rather surprised to 6ee the proposed basis of settlement given publicity to in the papers, because on the conclusion of the conference the undertalcing was arrived at that the terms should be of a confidential nature until they were either rejected or accepted by the parties. The union considered the basis of settlement at its last meeting on Thursday, anil while not rejecting or accepting it, desired to have some alterations made in it, as the basis was arrived at hurriedly."' To this end the following letter was forwarded by the secretary of the union to the secretary of the company (Mr. A. 13. Donne) April 7, 1916. "Dear Sir,—l have to inform you that the proposed basis for a settlement of the dispute between your company and the union, as a result of the conference lield on Thursday, : April ■ .6, and over which the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, presided, was placed before the union in meeting assembled on Thursday, April 6,. 1916. Tho union, not being wholly satisfied with the terms of the basis of settlement as expressed, has instructed mo to suggest to you that a further conference be held between the parties with the object of arriving at a-satis-factory solution of tlio difficulty."..

To this the secretary of the Woollen Mills - replied:— "liV-reply to your letter, of to-day's date, I am instructed to say that, as the directors liavo decided to adhere to the terms offered to you at the meeting yesterday, a further conference would bo futile.—(Sgd.) A. E. Donne." The company's reply will be placed before the union at its meeting on Wednesday next; DEMONSTRATION AT PETONE. .A demonstration organised by the Waterside Workers' Union was hold at the Petone Recreation Grounds yesterday afternoon in aid of tho Woollen Workers' Fund. There was an attendance of about 1500 people. A proccssion, headed by the Watcrsidors' Band, in which several mill workers took part, paraded from the railway station to the grounds. Mr. F. Curtice (president of the Waterside Workers' TJnion) presided. Mr. Bruce, who spoke first, stated that tho demonstration would havo ( been much larger, but tliero had been indications of a settlement of the trouble recently. They had como out to help, and thoy wore. willing to do so overy time they were wanted The trouble was they woro unable to hear much of the mill, workers' doings. Mr. Bruce compared the methods of the employers, who were thoroughly organised, to those of the workers, who. without organisation, were "squabbling like old women."

Mr. P. TI. Gray analysed the figures from tho Woollen Company's balancesheet at sbmo length.

Mr. Glover stated that ho had read of tho proposals offered the workers by the Woollen Companv. It was in their hands to decide. If they considered the conditions reasonable, then accept them, but if it was a "climb down" lie urged them to stand firm and others wouldstand by them. Referring to the war bonus recommended by Mr. Justice Stringer at Wangnnui. Mr. Glover said that personally he did not favour bonuses, they not being in the best interests of organised labour.

Mr. .Loadbetter (vice-president of the Mill Workers' Union) said that the reason the employers' proposals were not accented was because (to use their own words), "it would be unscientific." It meant, he continued, that tho man receiving £2 Bs. ner week would get £2 12s. 9d;. and the man receiving £2 10s. (who int. a 5 ner cent, would get £2 12s. 6d. "So," continued the sneaker, "the man who was considered better than the other bv 2s. per .week went back' for 3d; a week less." (Laughter.) , It was PTHiowicca that tho sum or £16 10s. 6d. had been collected at the meeting. In the evening an open mr meetine was addressed by sovferal speakers and a further sum collected.