PETONE GASWORKS TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 228, 21 June 1921, Page 6

PETONE GASWORKS TROUBLE

A SUGGESTED INTERVENTION COUNCIL REMAINS FIRM Prior to the estimates being considered at a special meeting of the Petone Borough Council last evening, the following communication from the Minister of Labour was read “Dear Sir, —Referring to the telephone communication with you this morning relative to the dispute between your council and its gasworks employees, I attach hereto a copy of a letter addressed to me by the secretary of the Wellington Gasworks Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers. If your council also is agreeable to my acting as chairman at a meeting of representatives of your council and of the union I am willing to act in that capacity.—Yours faithfully, (Sgd.) G. J. Anderson, Minister of Labour.” The attached letter referred to was ae follows:—“The Minister of Labour, Wellington.—Dear Sir, —Following upon my interview with you this morning with regard to the position of the dispute which now- exists between the Petone Borough Council and tho Petone branch cf the Wellington City Gasworks Employees’ Union, with a view to preventing this dispute extending info other industries, it is the wish of the union that you should intervene, and act in the capacity of independent chairman at a meeting between representatives of the union and of the Petone Borough Council, for the purpose of adjusting a settlement, if possible.—Yours faithfully, (Sgd.) L. Glover, secretary Wellington Gasworks Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers.” Councillor D. S. Bedingfield: What "was the nature of your telephonic communication with the Minister of Labour, Your Worship? The Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan): I did not ask to get into communication with tho Minister of Labour, hut he with me.

Councillor W. Hay: Is it simply that Mr. Glover moved in the matter?

The Mayor: The correspondence explains itself. The Mayor’s latter remark was followed by a considerable pause. “As no one seems disposed to move in the matter,” said Mr. M'Ewan; “I will move that this council agrees to a conference with representatives of tho union, presided over by tho Minister of Labour. In doing so, I fool satisfied that this is the propea- course. ... In face of the labour legislation on the Statute Book of thia country—legislation designed to bring about settlement of labour disputes, legislation about which this country has boasted .. . then I say that if that legislation is to be of any value in connection with tho industries of this country, if it is not to be a useless encumbrance, then it must bo <;iven effect to. Feeling that very strongly, and also feeling very strongly that the better way to settle national disputes is by means of conciliation and negotiation, eo I feel as strongly in regard to labour disputes that conciliation and negotiation is tho better way from ewery point of view—bettor in every way. . . It is the better way on account of tho wasfle incurred in industrial strife. . . . T feel that the motion I have moved should commend itself to every reasonable man who desires to see an unfortunate position improved, and that the spirit of the labour legislation of this country should bo given effect to. I ask for a seconder. ... If there is no seconder, 1 propose we proceed with the estimates.” The motion lapsed for want of a. seoy onder. Councillor Hay then moved that the council communicate with the Minister, thanking him for offering his services in the capacity as chairman, and at the same time informing him that they had no dispute with the Wellington Gasworks Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers, and therefore required no conference. Councillor C. P. Brocklebank seco-nded the motion, which was carried, the Mayor dissenting.