CONCILIATION COMMISSIONERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 323, 14 January 1909, Page 2

CONCILIATION COMMISSIONERS

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Tuesday. The Government has appointed Mr. T Uurle Giles, of Auckland, and Mr. P Bailey, of Dunedin, as Conciliation Com missioners. The matter of the ap pointinent of a third commissioner is be ing considered by the Government. THIS QUALIFICATION'S OP THE APPOINTEES.

Christchureh, Last Night. Mr. iF. W. llobbs, president of the Canterbury Employers' Association, in an interview with 41 representative of the Press regarding the appointment of Conciliation Commissioners, remarked that neither of the gentlemen appoint* «l were known to him personally. He believed that Mr. 11,I 1 , llalley hud a good reputation and was viewed favorably j by the people, of Otago as inspector of I Awards. In respect to Mr. T. llarle Giles, he (Mr. Ilohbs) 'had no information respecting lus connection with industrial afl'-airs. It seemed to him and to the members of his association very necessary that the genUeme.it appointed as Conciliation Coniniissioners should be thoroughly conversant with industrial or manufacturing concerns. If, as lie had been led to understand, Mr. Giles is somewhat <»f a practical theorist, the appointment would probably bring the position into disrepute very quickly. Knowing as thev did that other and good men are available, the ap-

pointment of Mr. Giles had caused a great deal of surprise to them. The suggestion that Conciliation Coniniissioners should be appointed had emanated from the Canterbury Employers. ! Association, and in their representation

to the Government they had strongly urged that very capable men should be appointed, or otherwise the. commissioners would not realise what was ex-IK-cted from them. Their suggestion was that the persons appointed should lie of not lessor calibre than a sti-

pendiary magistrate, though they did

noW necessarily desire that lawyers should be .selected, the idea being that the persons appointed should be in 'commercial or business circles of equal ■standing to a magistrate, with a good general knowledge'of affairs, gowl levelheaded men, and men, if possible, with actual experience of manufacturing or industrial methods.