AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS NOW NORMAL

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 187, 4 May 1940, Page 16

AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS NOW NORMAL

Minister's Request To Men TRIBUNAL TO DECIDE DISPUTE (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 3. After nearly four days of go-slow tactics Auckland tramwaymen resumed the normal operation of trams from about 5.30 o’clock this afternoon, as the result of a request by the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb. Whether or not the men will achieve their full demands for increased pay will be decided by a tribunal set up under the War Emergency Regulations by the Minister .which will meet in the morning. The Minister’s decision to set up the tribunal was made today and followed an unsuccessful attempt the previous day by his liaison officer, Mr. C. L. Hunter, to bring the parties together immediately under clause 58 of the industrial agreement between the board and the union. By invoking the war emergency regulations the Minister has taken the dispute entirely out of the hands of the parties concerned, which are compelled to negotiate through the tribunal. J , According to an announcement by Mr. Hunter, Mr. S. Ritchie, conciliation commissioner, of Christchurch, has been appointed chairman of the tribunal and the board and the union will be represented by three assessors each Mr. Hunter said the assessors would give the case for their respective sides and the chairman would make the final decision as to the matter in dispute. Such decision would be binding on either side, subject to penalty under the War Emergency Regulations. The Minister’s request that normal schedules should be resumed immediately was conveyed to the men by Mr. Hunter.