CONFERENCE OF FLAX HANDS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10566, 23 February 1912, Page 5

CONFERENCE OF FLAX HANDS

SITUATION DISCUSSED. (By Telegraph — Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., Last Night. From seven to eighthundred flaxmill hands assembled at the Municipal Hall at 11.30 to-day, to consider the dispute between the Flaxmillers' Association and the Fliax Workers' Union, as to tho conditions of employment of the swamp hands, etc., and whether a strike was advisable. The men had left their mills throughout the West Coast at the bidding of the Flax Workers' Union, to attend the meeting, the mills haying to close down. Mr R. Dalhousie, President of the Flax Union, presided. The morning was devoted to discussing the situation which had arisen owing to the recent deadlock in the conference between the mill owners and men's Union. At two o'clock Mr Halley, Conciliation Cbmmissioner, who came up from Wellington for the purpose, addressed the meeting, which, fully resolved to leave the matter to the meeting of the executives of the men's and employers' Unions, presided over by Mr Halley. to be held here at an early date, on Tuesday next, if possible. The meeting was not open to the Press. The men returned to their various districts to-night, and will resume work at the mils to-morrow.