A CHALLENGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1920, Page 5

A CHALLENGE.

EMPLOYERS TO WORKERS, TROUBLE IN AUSTRALIA. pj Telegraph.—Press Asim.s*Co»jTi«ht. Received Oct. 25, 10.40 p.m.

," " Sydney, Oct. 25. I'he conference between the waterside worker! and the overseas shipping companies, arranged by Mr. Hughes' intervention to discuss a proposal for the abolition of the bureaux established as a Tcfeult of tlio 1917 strike, (proved abortive.

Sir Owen Oox, acting as spokesman for the shipowners, appealed for collaboration instead of antagonism. Mr. Morris, secretary of the waterside workers, welcomed the appeal for amicable negotiations. He set out the men's objections to the bureaux system, and submitted a scheme for appointing a standing joint committee of management representing both sides to control the waterfront labor, and he suggested the establishment of a fund subscribed to equally by masters «.nd men, from which the living wage would be made up to those whose earnings fell below that point. 'Mr. Morris declared the scheme was not possible so long as the employers upheld the bureaux. Sir Owen Cox thereupon declared t "If your last word is that we must 'abolish the bureaux, and throw the loyalists to the wolves, then our answer, plainly and firmly, is no. If it has got to be a fight, then let us stand up and make it a clean fight." Mr. Morris said: "If it has got to be a fight to the end, X hope, when all is over, we will, like boxers, shake hands." The conference then ended.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Received Oct. 2(1, 12.45 a.m. Sydney, Oct. 25. Developments as a result of thß failure of to-day'B waterside conference are anxiously awaited. The executive of the Transport Workers' Federation has called a special meeting to discuss the shipowners' ultimatum. It is feared that if action is taken the whole of the watereide and affiliated unions will be' involved. The coal miners also sympathise with the federation's attitude~Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn.