TRAMWAY CONDITIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1917, Page 8

TRAMWAY CONDITIONS

BEFORE CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Tie Wellington Traniwaya dispute came before the Conciliation Council this morning. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr.: W. H. Hagger) presided, and the assessors were : For the Tramway Union, Messrs. A. Black, E. A. Evans, and H. Carter; for the Wellington City Council, Messrs. W. ,H. Morton, M. Cable, and D. M'Gillvray. Mr. J. Hutchison appeared as agent for the union. ;

At the outset, Mr. Morton stated thai the union claims were received only last Tuesday, and the council had not had time" to formulate counter-proposals and nominate assessors. He desired, therefore, to have an adjournment for a week. :■ .

Mr. Hutchison asked if this would prevent the dispute from coming before the Arbitration Court at its next sitting.

Mr. Mortoti said he had met three representatives of the union in conference, and he had not received from them any notification of their acceptance of the proposals put forward.; He, took it, therefore, that they would have to consider ther- claims from the beginning. He desired,, however, to facilitate the settlement of the dispute as much as possible. '- ', .".■:■' ' „■. .- ■■

Mr. Carter said ihe understood that the council had! carried a motion by which the ha_nds of the assessors were' i tied in certain respects. ■ If that were so, 'it was regrettable. Wellington had not had to refer to the Court for settlement of tramway condition's for some time and he thought that on thisoccasion'an agreement, could be reached before the Conciliation, Council if the assessors were left free to act.

Mr. Morton replied that the council had expressed the opinion that disputes should be dealt with in the usual way through the Arbitration 'Court. He had power to disenss the matter, and knew the views of the council, and he had no doubt that if ho could make a recommendation. to the council it would be adopted.

The Commissioner: So really your hands are not tied?

Mr. Morton : ,Nq; I have discretion, but I should firjd it necessary to refer any proposed settlement to the council for final approval. \

The Commissioner pointed oat that the Conciliation Council was a part of the proceedings under the Arbitration Act, and the Court looked unfavourably on disputes in which the hands of the assessors on either side had been tied.

It was decided to adjourn the further hearing of the dispute to 7th September. '.