LABOR COMMISSION

Hokitika Guardian, 5 April 1927, Page 1

LABOR COMMISSION

.Australian it A.Z.. Cable Association. | XJiW YORK, April 4. .Mr Grasmller ami Air .Mclnnes threaten t<) withdraw from tin; official programme of the Australian industrial .Mission, now touring the United States, and to matte independent inquiries, unless the Press is excluded lrom all the Conferences held between the representatives of tire American industries and the Unions. Since Mr Grayndler (a Labourite; joined Ihe Australian Industrial .Mission at Detroit, the employees’ members of the Mission have strongly opposed the Press attending Die Mission's Conferences. The Press would lie seriously hampered if excluded during the questioning of the employees. It is apparent that the chief objection to the Press hearing the discussions between the Mission and the American Unions is that the information obtained at these discussions is of a kind unpalatable to Australian Unionists. This was especially noticeable at Niagara, when t-lie Press representatives were warned to lie low, and were not introduced to the Labour officials. The Conference there was terminated abruptly by Mr Grayndler. When Mr Valentine was seeking information regarding the success of Company Unions, and was asking about the entrance fee to Die Carpenters’ Union, Mr Grayndler declared that the Conference "-as asking for information which was not the subject of the Mission’s inquiry. Mr Mclnnes also warned a Union official when he was replying to a question that was put by a ‘Mail’’ representative. After the Conference Mr Grayndler and Mr Mclnnes refrained from inspecting most of the industries at Niagara included in the Mission’s itinerary.

At several of the inspections no employees’ representatives attended hut only those of the employers completing the programme of the itinerary first approved hy the whole Mission. No notice was taken of the apparent laxity of the employees’ members at Niagara, as it was believed they required time to transcribe notes, after the strenuous programme; hut Mr Grayndler has only been with the Mission for a week. The attitude of Mr Grayndler and Air Alvinnes was fully understood at Buffalo to-night, when they announced their intentions.

Afr AfcTnne.s appears to have changed since his speeches at Detroit, in which he praised captains of American industry. Mr Alclnnes told the Mission that he has obtained more information at Niagara by going outside the Mission's itinerary.

Alessrs Grayndler and Mclnnes spent most of the time at Niagara with tin Labour officials, although a full opportunity was available tor interviewing workers in the industries inspected.

It is apparent that the majority o£ the employees’ representatives on the Mission are acting politically.

Miss Matthews, who holds strong Labour views, is complaining that she is unablo t-o obtain the information which she requires.

The employers’ representatives realise the seriousness of the situation. Afr Bruce (Australian Premier) was communicated with last week regarding the position of the Press.

It is understood that further communications are being sent.