THE GAS WORKS STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 August 1917, Page 5

THE GAS WORKS STRIKE.

OTATEMENZT BY* TO^PftEapSfr

i (Our TroliaWentaty iEteportaity ' - i Wellington, Last NigU&( [ ffihe Wellington gas sttfke, whJob,*g been reportecf as threatening serious <§r velopments, was mentioned in tho Houar ■ • of Representatives to-day. Tha aayj&a,' \ teen men who stopped work original could bo replaced, a>ut 'tlie position uL been complicated gravely iy the refusal of the waterside workers to handle, coal Cor the gas works. The Government ft the contractor for the supply oJ gqj*l from the State mines, andta thswAtt concerned as a party in the matter, Replying to a question on the sn&jwt, Mr. Massey said that.he had done everything possible to settle the dispute. The representatives of the gas company, fine shipping interests, the waterside workers and the men concerned had been'in conference with him, and after prolonged discussion an agreement (since published in the newspapers) had been signed. Ten of the seventeen men who bad stopped work had been present vdun the agreement was signed, but the agreement had been broken. He did not know; why; ho could only come to the eonclu-i ■ sion that there was some influence at '* work which did not appear <?a thesauri face. "I t'hhik that at a timo'like 4fla both employers and employees should ttg everything possible to avoid industrial ! disputes and difficulties," said Mr, Massey, "and if there was more give ana" take on the part of .both classes, than would ibe fewer of these industrial diffc * culties. I have written to the uaqtiea ■* asking them to .give effect to fhe agape* '' ment, but I have not received any regfej I dp not know what the next jpasaTS ' the difficulty will be." " Mr. Brawn (Napier):. Take owy; sto - gas works,; • " t ' Mr. Massey: If wo toot ftrer Qq works it would be a very awkward wecedent. Ido not know what tha leap- - sentatives of the industrial classes tmss& . say if wo attempted anything qf ftp sort. I do not want to fight & oJjp ". case, but if a fight is forced upon ub Wa will put up the best fight possible, ffca difficulty is not with the gas wfor&wri, but with the waterside ttvorfcersr W« understand what tie devefcpwntt offtm dispute into a great industrial irnß*,v»l. .' ,: might mean'to the community. I wifl do everything {possible to settle ti* trouble, but) i think I Save done tt* 'already. • '%■&**'' ' '-