CONCILIATION BOARD IN MASTERTON.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8382, 16 March 1907, Page 5

CONCILIATION BOARD IN MASTERTON.

CONCILIATION UP-TO-DATE.

ABSURD PROCEEDINGS

' It may be said that it is a generally recognised fact throughout the country that the Conciliation Board does not' conciliate, ' but, possibly, the most remarkable incident connected with Conciliation Board proceedings occurred yesterday, when the Board was sitting in Masterton. We are informed as follows:—The plasterers' dispute was to be discussed, and Mr S. E. Wright, Secretary of the Employers' Association, who has appeared previously in connection with similar disputes, was proceeding to state the employers' case,when the Union.'s delegates challenged hia right to appear. The point raised Was, of course, purely technical in character. The Act states that any employer who does not appear may be represented by an agent, who must hold a written authority. Through an oversight, Mr Wright had not a written authority in his pocket, but assured the Board that he could.almoat immediately, produce one.- The Chairman (Mr O'Regan), whose invariable courtesy towards, and willingness to meet the conveni.t'eiice of" parties in dispute is well known, agreed to allow Mr Wright the necessary time to produce the authority. Mr Wright then left the Courthouse, where the Board was sitting, and very shortly afterwards the Union's delegates and their representatives on the Board came to the conclusion that, as Mr Wright _* "had gone for a walk" they might * just as well do likewise. Thus the Conciliation Board proceedings terminated! It may, also, be mentioned that the Union, who should have cited all the employers—parties to the dispute—within the district, failed to do so. In fact, they appear to have cited scarcely anyone, if anyone. None of the principal emTh pioyers were cited, but they over\T looked this grave omission on the part of the Union, and several of them were present at yesterday's ' farce. Mr Wright returned within ten minutes with the necessary authority, and, about half an hour later the Secretary of the Union reappeared, when the Chairman stated that as a quorum was present the case could be proceeded with. The Secretary declined to pi-oceed unless the employees' representatives on the Board were present, and again left " the Court-r'»om. Later i:i the afternoon the cnployera, agreed with the Chairman that'they would write out theft objections and forward them to the Board for consideration.