CONCILIATION BOARD AT PLAY

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9104, 25 March 1908, Page 8

CONCILIATION BOARD AT PLAY

STRANGE PROCEEDINGS AT RANGIORA.

According to a report published in Christchurch Truth, the examination of a witness before the Conciliation Board at Rangier;* on Friday was conducted in a light and airy fashion. In the absence of Mr J. Thorn, the cross-examination of Mr R. Evans was resumed by Mr E. Kennedy, the other representative of the Farm Labourers’ Union. What sort of an award were you alluding to when you said that an award would absolutely rum small farmers?— Any award that would hamper a man in carrying on his work either in the matter of time or extra pay. ~, , ~ If ail award scatsu that you couicl work men sixteen hours a day, would that hamper you?—No court would make such an award. It just depends on the time that I wanted the labour. Suppose it was between 4 a.m. and 10 p.m. ?—T might not want men between those hours, and if I wanted them at other hours I could not get them. , . 0 If it said twenty-three hours? — Perhaps that very hour that I could not .employ the man I might want him. _ _ _ . Have you ever read that old dock, “Jack, the Giant Killer’’?—No, I haven’t. ”

Mr Kennedy ; Well, there was an old fellow in that whose name was Joshua, who made the sun stand still while his chaps were/ killing the heathen! (Great laughter). Mr Sheat: Why, that’s in the Bible. The witness was unable to reply to the question, as he was joining in the general hearty laughter. The Chairman: “Look here, Mr Kennedy, we cannot turn this into a comic opera company!’’ ■ Mr Evans ; “I an very sorry, Mr Chairman; I cannot help it.” Mr Kennedy (to witness): “Would you like to have the same power as this old Joshua to make the snu stand still so that 28 hours could he worked in a day?” Witness: “If I am serving God as Joshua did, I am a good man ! There is no necessity for these things; Joshua had a groat work before him. But you know that was not Jack the Giant Killer !” (Laughter. ) Mr Kennedy: “I know it wasn t but there are some horrible things in J J Mr Jones : “In ‘Old Mother Hubbard ’! ” The Witness: “You fellows he l Ui6t! ” ~„7 I Mr Kennedy (to witness : Where do von get the fact that there are 10,000 men working on farms in Canterbury?” . Witness: “1 got the figures from Government returns.” Mr Kennedy: “Well, I looked in the Year Book and could not find them. ” Witness: “It is not in the lear Book.” Mr Kennedy (to Mr Jones): “Perhaps Mr Jones can tell me what part of the Year Book they are in?” Mr Jones: “Jack the Giant Killer!” Mr Kennedy (to witness): “Did you get them from some old fairy tale?” Witness ; “I am not answerable for what Mr Jones says. The figures were in a Government return. ” Mr Whiting: “What return is that?”

Mr Jones; “The census returns furnished by the department.” Witness : ‘“There are several other wavs of working it out.” Mr Jones : The figures were verified from three different sources, and all came out the same.”

Witness: I have given the figures on oath, and I consider them correct and you have to prove that I am not correct.”

In further statements, witness said that he had taken the census figures relating to Canterbury outside the city of Christchurch, the boroughs, and the townships.