CARPENTERS’ DISPUTE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 133, 17 March 1948, Page 2

CARPENTERS’ DISPUTE

Remission of Fines to be

Sought

DECISION OF FEDERATION OF LABOUR

(P.A. WELLINGTON, March 16. Remission of the fines imposed on officers of the Carpenters’ Union in the last, few weeks will be sought by the national executive of the Federation of Labour when, it meets the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) and the Cabinet this week. The federation will not, however, ask immediately for the repeal of the Strike and Lock-out Emergency Regulations, and this subject has been referred to the annual conference, to he held at Dunedin.

The secretary of the federation (Mr K. McL. Baxter) reported today the decision's! made by the national council of the federation this week.

The council carried a motion moved by Mr G. S. Ray (Timaru), seconded by Mr R. Fulton (Taranaki), that the council make representations to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) for the remission of fines inflicted on Carpenters’ Union representatives.

Amendment Carried

Mr A. Drennan (Auckland) moved, and Mr E. Lindley (Gisborne) seconded, a motion that the national council request the repeal of the Strikes and Lock-out Emergency Regulations. Mr Fulton moved and Mr R. P. Smith (Waikato) seconded an amendment that the council refer the question of the repeal of the Strikes and Lockout Emergency Regulations to the annual conference of the federation for consideration and report by the appropriate committee. This amendment was carried by 12 votes to 11. The council decided, on the motion of Mr Drennan, seconded by Mr Fulton, that all affiliations and trades councils be circularised calling on them to move at the annual conference for the repeal of the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations.

On the motion of Mr W. H. Little (Southland), seconded by Mr Ray, tho national executive was instructed to make known to the Government the council’s instructions that the Strike and Lock-out Emergency Regulations he discussed at the next annual conference of the federation and to request that a meeting of the Parliamentary committee on emergency regulations he arranged to allow the opinion of the conference to he taken into consideration.

■On the motion of Mr Drennan seconded by Mr W. A. Fox (Wellington), the council endorsed the attitude of the national executive towards the prosecution of employers involved in the carpenters,’ dispute in Christchurch and authorised the executive to make further urgent representations to the Government “calling attention to the detrimental effect of the prosecutions in the interests of wage workers in general and the incentive held out to some employers to place a blanket on wage increases above minimum rates.”

The council decided, on the motion of Mr R. Mclntyre (Otago), seconded by Mr J. Doyle (West Coast), that the question of the abolition of tlie Economic Stabilisation Emergency Regulations, be referred to the annual conference for consideration and that the attention of affiliations he drawn to the question.