CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 269, 23 April 1915, Page 7

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

LITTLE CONCILIATION SHOWN. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, April 22. At a sittinjr of the Conciliation Coun--1 cil to-dny to consider the private hotels i and restaurants dispute, Mr. Hally, Commissioner, said ho regretted that, notwithstanding the direction of the Arbitration Court and the efforts of various i parties, progress in the disputes referred i back to the Council was disappointing. I He felt confident it would be disappoint- | ing to the Court also. Many cases had I been returned to the Court in almost the | same condition as at the original hearing. It was remarkable that this state of affairs was almost entirely confined to Wellington City. In the country districts, where the parties had the same differences of opinion, amicable settlej ments had been arranged. He was not I blaming one section or the other. The ; present time was strenuous for all, but, while admitting the difficulties, he could not see why the whole machinery of the ,' Arbitration Court should be put in operation because the parties to a dispute ; could iiot agree on a special brand of ' preference, nor in a trade, where an in- : crease of wages had not been made for fourteen years, it should be necessary , to go to tlie Court for an increase reprei se.nting 3sd per week on the present wages. This attitude tended to breed distrust between the parties, i Mr. Kennedy, union agent, said the workers always desired a settlement by i the. Council. The employers' counter proposals in this case, asking for the old award, indicated that they were not : prepared to conciliate. ! Mr. Grenfell, employers' agent, eon- • tended that the workers • were satisfied | that the disputes were technical. The Court had given an indication that uni : j ons could not expect an increase on 'each , occasion a new award was made, and the ! employers had had to take a stand.