THE CONCILIATION BOARD

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8412, 30 April 1907, Page 5

THE CONCILIATION BOARD

By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLLINGTON, April 29. 1 The Conciliation Board sat, to-day, to hear the dispute in the timber workers' trade. During the proceedings Mr Grenfell, secretary of the employers' Association, asked the chairman whether the Andrew Collins, who had signed application for reference of the di&pute to the Board in the capacity of secretary to the Timber Workers' Union was the same gentleman of that name who occupied a seat on the Board. The chairman replied in the affirmative. Mr Grenfell thereupon expressed the opinion that it was contrary to custom, and hardly compatible with justice that a man should occupy a judicial position and at the same time act as secretary to the employees. As secretary of the Timber Workers' Union Mr Collins could not in this dispute be other than a partisan. Mr Collins asserted that he had taken no part in drawing up the claims. He was an honorary officer of the Union, and dreW no salary. There was nothing in the Act to stop him sitting as a member of the Board. The representative of the Union said Mr Collins had nothing to do with the men's claims. His sigriature to the application for hearing the dispute was required by the rtfles of j the Union and the Act. The chairman said that the matter was one for the legislature to deal with.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright