THE TRAMWAY STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 140, 12 June 1908, Page 5

THE TRAMWAY STRIKE.

■■i' 9 ■ - — CONCILIATION BOABD MEETS. CHOOSING THE A KNOTTY PROBLEM.

The members of the special Board of Conciliation appointed in connection with the recent tram strike met this morning for the purpose of selecting a chairman. There were present: Messrs. P. M. Hansen and E. H. Morris (representatives of the Tramway Company), and Messrs. Henry Carter and George Sherry (the union representatives). The Clerk of Awards (Mr. E. W. Cave) was also in attendance. In compliance with the wish of the union representatives, Mr. Hansen made the first suggestion, proposing the President of the Arbitration Court, his Honor Mr. Justice Sim. Mr. Carter: You do that, notwithstanding that the men absolutely refused to submit their case to the Arbitration Court. Mr. Hansen: There are four of us, with the Judge, and that makes a difference. Mr. Carter: We won't agree to him. Mr. Hansen inquired from Mr. Sherry if he had any suggestion, and the latter replied that the selection of a suitable man was an awkward matter. Mr. Carter: We have our advice on the matter, but would prefer you to make some further suggestions. I think there is only one man. Mr. Hansen: To your mind there is only one man? Mr. Carter: Yes. Mr. Hansen: Surely there are a few names of unbiased gentlemen to be suggested as chairman. Mr. Carter: You had better give us some more names. Mr. Hansen replied that as he had taken the lead it was the turn of the union to make a suggestion. Mr. Carter: Of course, we have a free hand to act for the men, but we can bring our name as a last resort. Mr. Hansen: We are called together to elect a chairman. You asked mc to make a start, and I did so. I think it is fair to expect that you should go om Mr. Cave mentioned in reply to a query that the position was that if the members could not agree, then it was a case for the Government to make the appointment. Mr. Carter said that in view of his imited experience in these matters he would prefer that Mr. Hansen should =übmit his names, and that they could Lhen accept or reject them. In reply to Mr. Carter, Mr. Hansen said that he considered Judge Sim to be ,he most suitable man for the post. Mr. Carter: The proposal to my mind s such a ridiculous one, that I might just as well suggest a rank labour agistor. Why not run your list off? Mr. Hansen: No; it would not bo 'air. Mr. Carter: You have more experisnee. I bow to your superior knowledge. Mr. Hansen: "This is the first time I lave been on such a board. I am quite 1 baby at it. Mr. Carter: You must have known that the judge is not at all popular imongst the working classes of New Zealand. Mr. Hansen: He is chosen by the yorkers of New Zealand. Mr. Carter: Not by. the workers. ISO, 10, no. Mr. Hansen: Well, the Government is ippointed by the people. Mr. Garter: To ask for Judge Sim is -emarkable. We cannot have a man sho has not given us a "fair run" in the Arbitration Court. If there had seen a good chairman the men would lot have minded submitting their case to the Court. Mr. Hansen: If I give one more name ivill you give youTS. _ _ Mr. Carter: It depends who it is. Mr. Hansen: This ia one-sided. I :hink you should consider the matter :airly. Mr. Carter: We give you the right of jreference, and that is perfectly fair. Mr. Hansen: Well, I will give the name of Acting-Justice Button. Is he suitable? Mr. Carter: Considering that this is in unofficial Board, would it not be better to keep away from lawyers? Mr. Hansen: I know him to be an absolutely fair-minded man. Mr. Sherry: Yes; that is so. But hr would give his opinion according to the Act Mr. Hansen: I think he should be ac;epted. Mr. Sherry: I prefer someone who is aot connected with the law at all. Mr. Hansen: You say you don't want awyers, but you have a name. Tell it. He may be the man we want. Mr. Sherry: The point is this. The man we really want was practically ihosen or recommended by tbe Mayor. We have an idea that you may have shosen this man. We are prepared to igree to him if you name him. Mr. Hansen: How can I when I don't mow him? If you have a name, let us lave it and act as I have done. Mr. Carter: Seeing that this is a matter of equity more than law, I think we had better keep clear of lawyers. Mr. Hansen: It is for you to say. Mr. Morris: I think it would he fair to tell the name. It would facilitate the business. Mr. Carter: I don't want to stonewall or be arbitrary, but if you submit a name which appeals to us, we might consider it and agree to him. Mr. Hansen: It is useless to ask rcie to go on. I consider it only fair for you to mention the name you have in view. Mr. Carter: Well, the name that waa r.icgested by the Mayor on the morning Cat the strike was settled was Mr. TreMr. Hansen: Is he the man you suggest? Mr. Carter: Yes. He is the man who

was really the means of settling the tramway strike. I have never seen him before, but he appealed to mc as a liberal-minded and unbiassed man. We thought he -would make a suitable chairman. He has a big knowledge of the Arbitration Court, and will thus keep us from running away from the subject, and thus hasten a decision which the men are so anxiously awaiting. Mr. Sherry: We thought his name might be in your list. Mr. Hansen: I have the highest regard for Mr. Tregear, but I am afraid, and say so definitely, that, knowing the position that he had taken up in connection with the recent strike, his ap* pointment is out of the question. I can safely say that should we not agree on a chairman, I feel confident that the Government would not appoint him on account of his position, and the position which he had taken up In connection with the strike. There are many rumours that the employees would have Mr. Tregear or no one. You must not forget that he took a somewhat prominent part in tbe recent strike matters, and for this reason X consider b» »P" pSintment quite out of taa qu-tion.

!We -want a man who had nothing to do with the strike, and who will weigh the matter absolutely on its, merits. As Mr. Tiegear took -np a certain position in this matter I must refuse to accept him. Mr. Sherry. I don't think bis position in the Government would stand in the way. Mr Hansen: If he had not taken up the position he has, the thing might be different. Mr Sherry: He slated us pretty well. Mr Hansen: Should we not elect a chairman, then the Government will do so, and I don't think they would ap- ' point him. I Mr Carter: To charge him with any- ! thing like a leaning towards the men is not to be countenanced by us. Mr Hansen: Excuse mc. I didn't say that. Mr Carter: He got the strike settled. Mr Hansen: We should get a man who had absolutely nothing to do with it. Mr Carter: He had the advantage of hearing the manager's statement, and the conduct of the meeting. He gave an unbiassed address, which was the means of getting the men to agree to conciliation. To suggest a judge- who is going to fine us. It is ridiculous! He is coming up here to punish us. If Mr Tregear had not been here, we would have been on strike yet. Mr Hansen: We want a man who has had nothing to do with the strike. Mr. Carter: I can't see the reason of a deadlock. You knew your names would not be accepted. Mr. Hansen: You suggest only one. Mr. Carter: Mr. Tregear was recommended by the Mayor, who is a leading shareholder in the company. Mr. Hansen: We have our feelings in this matter. I would like to see a man appointed who comes here without any previous history in his mind. You have no one else? Mr. Sherry: No one else. Mr. Hansen: All lawyers are barred. How would Judge Kettle suit. Mr. Carter: We will not answer definitely yet. Mr. Hansen then suggested Messrs. B. Kent, Chas. Rhodes, J. C. Macky, J. C. Martin, T. Peacock, W. H. Lyon, G. T. Booth (Christchurch), and Dr. Coates, which the representatives of the union agreed to consider. The names of Messrs. J. Kirker, J. Brown, Leyland, Alison, and Ambury were objected to at once by Messrs. Carter and Sherry. Mr. Hansen: My idea is to get an unbiased man. Mr. Sherry: There is Mr. J. Fawcus. Mr. Hansen: I can tell you that we could not accept him. The meeting was then adjourned until two o'clock to allow the union representatives to consider the various names suggested. POSITION STILL UNSETTLED. After the luncheon adjournment the four delegates again met to consider the question. Mr Carter said they had gone through the names. Seeing that they all, in their opinion, had a decided interest on the side of the employers, they gave a negative to all the names. They had nothing new to put forward. Mr Hansen: Very well, sir. Mr Carter: Mr "Sherry thought it would be advantageous to further consider the matter. Mr Hansen: Do you think these names should be considered by the Union, or are they off anyway? Mr Carter: I think they may be considered off. -v Mr Hansen: I am surprised that in a country like New Zealand —a workman's paradise—that we can't select a suitable man. It would be very desirable for us to agree on one. Mr Carter: We might suggest someone to-morrow. Mr Sherry: You yourself might think of somebody? Mr. Hansen: If there is a hope of making a selection, let us adjourn by all means. Mr. Sherry: I take it that to-morrow's meeting will be conclusive one way or the other. Mr. Carter: I should like to ask for reconsideration of Mr. Tregear. I was much struck with the speech he gave. Mr. Hansen: Yes; so was I. I have the highest respect for him, but owing to the attitude he took up, and his close connection with the matters under discussion, I feel it my duty to decline. Besides, as head of the Labour Department he might be placed in a very awkward position, and I don't think he would accept the position. Mr. Carter: We want a man who would be perfectly fair and impartial. The meeting was then adjourned until 10.30 to-mon-ow morning.