BOARDS OF CONCILIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 34, 10 February 1891, Page 2

BOARDS OF CONCILIATION.

CONFERENCE OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

A meeting ol delegates from the Employers' Association met representatives from the Trades and Labour Council and Knight, of Labour lasb night, in Robson's Rooms, for tho purpose of discussing the advisability of iorming Boards of Conciliation, with a view to settling trade disputes, and thus averting strikes. The following gentlemen wero prosent: Messrs R. Cranwell, Graves Aickin, A. Wright, and F. G. Ewington (secretary), representing _ the Employers' Association : Messrs C. Wright, D_. Beale, J. H. Lymburn, H. Dixon, and H. W. Farnall, representinpf the Knights of Labour ; and It. Mills (president), J. Turner (vice-president), J. Tudehope, and Rouge, representing the Trades and Labour Council. Mr Gravea Aickin was voted to the chair. He called,upon the secretary to explain matters. Mr Ewington read the minute of bhe Employers' Association authorising the meeting. He said this had come aboub owing to the desire of the employers for industrial peace to secure prosperity in bhe future. They wished that employers and employees should get on smoothly together. He mentioned that they had no cut-and-dried rules laid down, as they would require to draw up rules from books of kindred associations or their own brains. These could be drafted and then submitted to their respecbiveassociations for acceptance and confirmed at a future meeting. He had with him the book known as the "Conference of Capital and Labour," in which was a code of rules which had been adopted by bhe London Chamber of Commerce during tho recent strikes. Mr Ewington then read a series of rules adopted by the Free Association of Employersjjgind Workmen of Hawke's Bay, also rule's^drawn up by Mr J. R. Blair, of tbe Wellington Employers' As ociation. The Chairman then asked if the meeting would affirm the principle of forming a Board of Conciliation.

Mr C. Wright moved and Mr R.Cranwell seconded, "That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a Board of Conciliation should be formed, representing both employers and employees, for the averting of strikes and settling trade disputes." This was adopted. Mr R. Mills asked whether the Boaid would consist of employers, Knights of Labour, and Unions connected with the Trades and Labour Council, or would it consist of Knights of Labour and Unionists, equal in number, and the Employers' Association. He pointed out that there were two bodies representing labour, and he suggested thab the Board should consist of six Knights of Labour, six Unionists, and twelve employer... Mr Farnall said that they ought to strive to make the Board fairly representative. He pointed out that many Unions were nob affiliated with the Trades and . Labour Council, bub with the Maritime Council. Itfow, that body had nob been invited bo come in. Mr Mills said thab the Secretary of the Seamen's Union had asked thab at future meetings the Maritime Council should be leuresented. Mr Ewington said that the Employers' Association had not intended to ignore the Maritime Council. It was thought that in taking in the Knights of Labour and the Trades and Labour Council they had eecure_ a full representation of labour. Mr Mills then lei'b the room and returned wibh Mr Newton, the Secretary of the Seajnen's Union. Mr Turner pointed out that there were three bodies governing labour—the Trades and Labour Council embracing tho wageearners, bhe Seamen's. Union, and the Knights of Labour, which Order book in bobb. and wage-payers, and thab was'bhe cause ot friction. There/ore it was requisite that there should be some definite line laid down, a3 _ome Knights might be employers. Mr Cranwell said ib seemed to him that the labour party was not united. He thought that if anything was to be done the labour party should be united, as were the employers. He thought that they should simply stand as employers and employees, and not have to face bhree sections of the labour party. Mr Lymburn expressed sorrow that this should have cropped up. What Mr Mills had said was really equal to a vote of want of confidence in the Knights of Labour. As far as he was concerned, he had seceded from Unionism bee .use he saw that ib was not likely to secure the emancipation of "industrial slavery. Mr Rouge thought it unnecessary to bring in the Maritime Council, as thab body was Union and would naturally fall in with the Trades and Labour Council. The danger was with the Knights of Labour. That body took in both employers and employees, and mighb send up employers as their delegates. As far as he knew of the Knights of Labour, that body was very crooked in some of its actions. The Chairman hoped that such words as *'crooked conduct" would not be intro-

duced. .- Mr Lymburn said he did not mean the Word crooked in an objectionable sense. He would wibhdraw. Mr Dixon said bhab in the past when employees had been sent to arbitrate they had never run with the masters. At present there were very few masters in tbe Knights of Labour, bub he wished there were more. Mr Mills said he did nob wish to cause trouble wibh the Knights of Labour ; at the isame time, he thought ib advisable to point out these matters, as he wished the Board to ba formed so that they could work amicably together. They had no wish to run ao-ainsb the Knights of Labour. He thought there should be two boards, one embracing the Knishts of Labour and the Other representing the Unions. Mr C. Wright expressed sorrow at the turn the meeting had taken. He thought they had met to avert in the future the follies of the past. He could assure the Trades and Labour Council that the Knights of Labour would justly wibh bhem. Because he had been an employer in bhe pasb, ib was no reason why he should deal unjusbly wibh the working men. He wanted to bury the hatchet bebween the two bodies. Mr Ewino-ton said he considered Mr Mills had been quite right in bringing up this matter, as they wished to have a satisfactory Board. He considered that this Board should consist of an equal proportion of wage-payers and bona fide wage-earners. The rules might stipulate that the labour representatives should be bona fide wageearners. . , , ~ »- • i__. r Mr lymburn said thab the Knights of Xabour was simply practical Christianity. Mr A Wrio-ht said that the Board could not be perfectly permanent. In bhe sebblewenb of dispubes ib would be necessary for labour representatives to who understood the trade m which the dispute occurred. ..,_,. j -j Mr Turner agreed with this, and said thab whilst the employers* representatives night be permanent, so far as labour was concerned men must be selected as reouired. . » _, Mr Cranwell said there was the same difficulty with regard to the employers. All they wanted was fair, truthful, and honest dealing. , , Mr Mills was in favour of a permanent Board to adjust disputes after other attemots ab settlement had failed After all means oi a peaceful solution had failed, the Board should adjudicate. •" ■, Mr Farnall said he was extremely sorrj a. the tone of the discussion. He wouia like to ask Mr Mills whether the Trades end Labour Council would refuse to sit witti E nig his of Labour.

Mr Mills said he could not answer such a question without it going before the Council. The Chairman said the employers only wanted to recognise representatives from a united labour organisation. Mr Tudehope said he for one was ready to work with the Knights of Labour. He was sorry to see the difference of feeling between the labour bodies. Mr Newton considered that tho whole matter might easily be gob over if bhey took care that they had twelve employers and twelve working-men. As for the Maritime Council, this Board would be of little use, as the Council would require to deal with steamship companies, and most of them were situated outside of Auckland. Tli6 Chairman pointed oub bhab bhe Board should really be a jury of fair men, and not experts. Mr Wrighb said he would guaranbee that the Knights of Labour would only send employees. Mr Mills said that pledge would satisfy the Council. At this stage the meeting was adjourned until next Monday at 7.30 o'clock.