AUCKLAND TRAMWAY STRIKE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9097, 25 May 1908, Page 3

AUCKLAND TRAMWAY STRIKE

BT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, May L 4. A further conference of. the men ■was held in the afternoon, which Mr Walklate attended. Prior to his arrival, the executive of the Union strongly recommended the men to agree to an Arbitration Board, composed of two members from the Union, two representing the Company, and a fifth appointed by the Government, before which all evidence should be laid; the proceedings to bo open to the press, and both parties to abide by the decision whatever it might be, and that as soon as the Board was satisfactorily appointed cars should resume running. While the discussion was proceeding, before a vote was taken on this proposal, Mr Walklate arrived and, definitely stated that the only thing he could do was to agree to submit the i£3ues to the regular Arbitration Court. Thj meeting, however, objected to this course, as they were being charged before the Court. Their sooke3tnan said that with offences involving imprisonment, and the Judge, baing a Judge, would give decisions oi strict legal lines, whereas the Union admitted that the management In.l the law on its side in respect to una important issue, but the Union was fighting for a -moral right—namely, that"man discharged with a week's wages should be allowed to know the reason why. They entered the service with good character, and sush discharges would imply the loss of character. After a desultory discussion, the conference ended with no decision having been arrived at. The men meet again on Monday, and it is more than probable that the strikers will agree to the executive's" proposal for an Arbitration Board, which Mr Walklate doe 3 not favour; and so there is no sij;n of a settlement of the troubled