Suggested Mediation.

Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 14685, 27 November 1913, Page 5

Suggested Mediation.

MADE BIY SIR, JOSEPH WARD.

saafr joshua williams as

AORIBFrKIATOfi,.

PiaiME MINISTER'S REPLY.

REJECTED BY'BOTH PARTIES,

STRIKE WILL HE EM>ED BEFORE CHEISTMAS."

WELLIKOTON, Nov. 27. Sir Joseph Ward asked a question, of tihe Premier relatkie to tho strike; he stated at, the outset that he was not in anyway prompted by party feelings nor had he direotr ly or indirectly attempted to make capital out of a great national calamity. The loss to the country as. the outcome of the strike would be estimated to amount to a quarter of a million weekly, Thalt loss would be borne By the whole community and j passed on in the way of increased 1 charges to tihe public who had .sent members to Parliament. He was most concerned to secure a settlement and j thougE he might be subjected "to misrepresentation and misunderstanding he felt, it his duty after oaireful consideration Ho suggest some effective means by -which a settlement might be effected. Any such, settlement must be just to both sides. If eaieh side wanted no more than justice it ought to submit the dispute to "the uncondi- J tional arbitrament of tribunal and he suggested Sir Joshua Williams, Judge, aia arbitrator. He was a jusfc, farseeing, and fearless judge, and if either side refused to submit its case to his decision it would be an admission of weakness or that' one side; wanted more than justice.. If thej course suggested by him were carried oiut he was convinced that the whole of the unions now out would return to work pending the finding of the tribunal. Mr Massiey replying said he was very glad that Sir Joseph Ward had not acted from a.ny party standpoint. The Governrnant was fully,aware of their responsibility in the matter and also' of the great loss being occasioned tihe country through, the trouble. He asked the House to view the matiter in compairison' with the conditions of affairs two or three weeks ago. At that time nearly every port was closed and the whole trade of the dominion held up. Now practically every port was open and working, in fact the Auckland stiriike was virtually ended. He had made the suggestion. offered by Sir J. Ward to botih parties early in %ie trouble, but it had been refused. Arrangements would be made to prevent a recurrence of the trouble so fan' as the waterside workera were eoiucerred. In future no setk tlemeiiit of a- dispute cooild be effected without oonsiJeration being given to 1 the producers of Ehe country and the new unionisfe. He predicted thiftti before Christmas the industrial trouble would be ended.

A defeat© on: the frtiri-ke followed, in whioh 'Messrs Fiayne and Webb justified the Federation of Labour in connection with, the industrial deadlock.!

Mr Veitch advocated the appointment of an independent Commission; fid inquire in,fib"the facts, and report" to the Hoitso before ■adjourning.