The Tramway Strike.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43330, 26 May 1908, Page 2

The Tramway Strike.

CITY COUNCIL CLAIM £7OO. CANNOT GET IMPARTIAL TRIAL. CASE ADJOURNED. AUCKLAND, Yesterday. Judge Edwards heard the argument on Saturday on the motion for a charge of venue of action by the Auckland City Council claiming £7OO from the Electric Tramways Company for failing to provide sufficient rolling stock. Counsel for the Company did not think with the present feeling in Auckland the company could get an impartial trial here, and His Honor suggested that evidence might be taken here and forwarded to the Appeal Court for a decision. The company’s solicitor desiring time to consider tills proposal His Honor said it appeared the only course .or they would have to take what they could get from an Auckland jury. Argument was adjourned till Tuesday.

CONFERENCE PROGRESSING. I The conference between Mr Walklate, the manager of the Tramway Company, and the unionists, lasted two hoxu-s. Mr Walklate offered to submit the whole _of the matters in dispute to the Arbitration Court. The Union insisted on an Appeal Board of two on each side, choosing an umpire. The conference adjourned till three o’clock. THE MANAGER’S CASE. LEGAL POINTS INVOLVED. Mr Tregcar, who was present at the Tramway Conference, strongly urged both sides to endeavour to settle matters amicably. Mr Walklate said in all trades the payment of a week’s wages was recognised in lieu of notice. In all cases of summary dismissal he was prepared to give a reason and afford an opportunity to call evidence, but 1 where a man was discharged he was paid wages hi lieu of notice, and any change in the custom involved legal points that had better be settled by the Court. He was prepared to submit the whole matter to the Arbitration Court <md abide by its decision, but he was not paepared to say whether he would let the question be tried by a self-appointed tribunal without further consideration. If the men were prepared to accept these proposals the services could be resumed immediately. AN ABORTIVE CONFERENCE. NO AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. A further conference of the men was held in the afternoon, which Mr Walklate attended. Prior to his arrival the executive of the Union strongly recommended the men to agree to an Arbitration Board composed of two members from the Union, two represontatiues from the company, and a fifth appointed by the Government, before which all the evidence should bo laid,f the proceeding to be open to tho press, 'and both parties to abide by decision whatever it might be, and that as soon as the Board was satisfactorily appointed the cars shoidd resume running. As the discussion was proceeding, and before the vote was taken on this pro - posal, Mr Walklate arrived, and definitely stated that the only tiling he could do was to agree to submit the issues to the regular Arbitration Court. The meeting, however, objected to this course, as they were being charged before the I Court.

Their spokesman said with an offence involving imprisonment and the judge, being a judge, would give decisions on strict legal lines, whereas the'*- Union admitted that the management had the law on its side in respect to one important issue, but the Union was fighting for a moral right, namely, that the men discharged with a week’s wages should bo allowed to know the reason why. They entered the service with a good character, and such discharge would imply loss of character.

After a desultory discussion tlie conference ended -with no decision having been arrived at, The men met again yesterday, and it is more than probable that the strikers will agree to the executive’s proposal for an Arbitration Board, which Sir Walklate does not favour, and so there is no sign of a settlement of the trouble. WILL PLEAD GUILTY TO STRIKING. The committee of the Union before the meeting with Mr Walklate. decided to plead guilty to striking. In the event of the dispute being referred to a board of arbitrators a fifth arbitrator should be appointed by the Government.