LOCAL SLAUGHTERMEN'S DISPUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 99, 24 May 1909, Page 2

LOCAL SLAUGHTERMEN'S DISPUTE.

Xiiraitaki less than ally |ir<>vjjiL-t' in New I Zealand lias had its industrial peace dis-' Inrlu'd 1)v labor disputes necessitating I tile attention uf tile Conciliation or the Arbitration Courts. Jt seems to us also ■that. had it not been lor the activities uf tin' professional agitator, that comlitioir of afl'air.s might have been allowed to continue, simjecl, of course, to reasonable adjustments £lOlll time to time. Particularly We refer to the dairy employees' dispute, which was disposed of n ithuut invoking the aid of legal process. At the present iHowever, there in awaiting settlement an industrial dispute between the slaughtermen and the various large employers. The case being sub-judiee, it is not politic to oiler any comment oil its merits. The ease witii the Jiorough Council has already been cited before tile Court, but, owiii" to u technical objection that was successfully pleaded by t lie Council'* representative, it was not proceeded with. The matter has 'now been referred to concilia lion, ami the Conciliation Ciiinmissioner for the Northern District (.Ur. f. Hail', tiilesl arrived from Auckland mi l-'ri day night for the purpose. The Conciliation Council opens proceedings at the Magistrate's Court to-morrow morning. Tile parties called in the dispute are the Auckland Slaughtermen's I'nion on the one side and Die Waltara Freeing Company. Patea Freezing Conipaiiv. Xew Plymouth Miirongh Council Abattoir*, llawera llorough Abattoirs, and Stratford Jiorough Abattoirs on' the oilier. Air. Pryor. general secrelarv 01 the Kmployers' Association, represents the various abattoirs, .Mr, Charles llrosvoior the Freezing Company*, and .Mr. F. R. Jlu*t Ihe I'nion Interested. On Saturday tile Commissioner visile,] the Waitara Freezing Works for ue purpose of acquainting himself witli the ' conditions under which work is done 1 there. The experience of the past few] I [ months has fully justilicd tin l now conciliation system, and the spectacle 'en recently been witnessed in a number of } cases in wllich Hie Commissioner, who f was at the outset- bitlerly opposed by - labor representatives, being thanked by T labor leaders for his successful medial'n 11. We have every reason to antiei- s pale tliat. with the exercise of common-1 (i sense. met. and mutual concession, an ii timicable settlement will be arrived at) t under Hie guidance of (lie Commissioner. r< tinis obviating the necessity nf referring! hi the case to the more cumbrous Court i

of Arbitration. The proceedings of the I Council arc open lo lue public and Hie novel experience for New Plymouth will no doubt be watched with interest.