TRAMWAY DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 223, 15 June 1921, Page 6

TRAMWAY DISPUTE

YESTERDAY’S CONFERENCE THE PROCEEDINGS PRIVATE A conference was held yesterday between representatives of the Wellington Tramway Employees’ Union and representatives of the City Council in the hope of reaching ft settlement of the workers’ dispute with the corporation.. The union, having cancelled its registration under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, is subject to the provisions of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, 1913, which applies to societies of workers not bound by any award or agreement made under the Arbitration Act. Yesterday’s confererjte was presided over by Mr. AV. Newton (Conciliation Commissioner), appointed by the Minister according to the terms of the 1913 Act. The City Council was represented by Messrs. IV. 11. Alorton (city engineer), D. M'Gillivray, and M. Cable, and the union 'by Messrs. A. L. Monteith, H. Rogers, and C. Hobbs. The question for discussion was whether the council should grant the rates of pay and the (conditions which the union desired to have embodied in a new agreement. The union asked for a general increase in wages of 3d. an hour, and a provision that each employee should be allowed one clear day off in seven.

Mr. Newton explained that lie hnd called the conference in accordance with instructions given by the Minister of Labour after receiving from the union an application to have the provisions of the 1913 Act applied in the dispute with ths City Council. The conference was a preliminary one, and not a meeting of a Disputes Committee. He felt that there was no reason for which a settlement should not be reached. He was of opinion that full discussion between the parties would be facilitated if the conference were held privately, and that therefore it would lie better if the Press representatives were not present. Failing settlement of the dispute at the present conference the Minister proposed to set up a Disputes Committee according to the application of the parties. Mr. Morton said that he had no objection to the Press representatives being permitted to hear whatever might bo said. He had nothing to say that would not eventually be made known to the public. He did not wish to force the matter in any way, but he certainly bad no objection to the Press being present.

Mr. Monteith said that the union had no feeling for or against the admission of tho Press. It was prepared to bow to tho wishes of the chairman. Mr. Newton said that his experience was that as a rule there could be freer discussion in the absence of the Press. Ho was, however, quite open on the question. Mr, Morton said that if the chairman thought better results would be achieved in the absence of the Press he was prepared to leave tho matter in the chairman’s hands.

Mr. Monteith: M'e are quite easy on tho point, Mr. Commissioner. Mr. Morton: I have nothing whatever to say that will not be made known sooner or later. Whatever my opinions are now, I must express them to tho City Council, and they will be known publicly. Mr. Newton said that that was hardly tho point. At such a meeting many details would have to-be discussed, and he personally thought that the conference should go into committee. If there was anything that it desired to communicate to tho Press a statement could bo made later. The conference was a preliminary one held in an endeavour to get the parties to come to an agreement. Mr. Morton said that as far as he could see the dispute had narrowed itself down io comparatively few points—to two main points, in, fact, which would be tho stumbling-block. If the conference could got rid of these, the rest wciild he easy. Mr. Monteith agreed that that was so. Tho conference was held in committee. At tho conclusion of the day’s proceedings, the chairman stated that finality had not been reached, and that the conference would hold a further sitting at 10.30 a.m. on Friday next.