THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 193, 15 August 1911, Page 7

THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY.

UNION SECRETARY IN AXSOKLAND. Mr. t). Moriarty, secretary tf the Wei- ' lington Furniture Makers' Tjnion, haa . been, on a visit to Aucklanl for the 1 purpose of bringing the local anion into line with a Dominion movemenf in favour of linking op ail the furniture-makers' unions and bringing them uixfcr the one award. A satisfactory arrangement has been made -with the local uniot, and it is now hoped to place it on a stronger and better footing than ever before. The furniture-making industry in New Zealand, said Mr. Moriarty, has inade wonderful progress in recent yeirs, and a Dominion award will, he believes, be now accepted as satisfactory to 'both employers and employees. Asked whether the Chinese had gained any footing in New Zealand in the fur-niture-making trade, as they lad in Australia, the union secretary rfeplied that at present absolutely no funiiture was made in New Zealand by aliens, and as ■the law now prevented Chinese from establishing themselves in any 'new industry, the furniture-makers hid no need to ever fear competition in this country, such as was being experience) in Sydney and Melbourne. Questioned in regard to the serious deadlock in recent proceedings in Wellington between his union and the Conciliation Councillor (Mr. Halley), Mr. Moriarty said that. hitherto the Furni-ture-makers' Union had always found conciliation a satisfactory way of settling difficulties with their employers, and had never had to go even as far as the Arbitration Court. The present trouble arose when the employers, after a private conference was naked for, submitted the name of Mr. Grenfell as one of their representatives. The union objected on the ground that Mr. Grenfell was not in any way identified with the furniture trade. No private conference was held, and the case was taken to the Conciliation Council, to be heard before three jjkmployfTs, Ithree eaniployiecs, and the Conciliation Commissioner. The employers brought Mr. Grenfell forward as their agent. The union assessors objected to any outsiders being present, and declined to appoint an agent,. The Commissioner accordingly called upon Mr Moriartv to state the Union's case, but that gentleman declined, stating that he was there as assessor and not as agent. A deadlock arose, and on the matter beinff taken before the Arbitration Court a ruling was given in favour of the stand taken by the union. A second meeting of the council proved abortive, and the question, Mr. Moriarty says, is now to come before Parliament.