UNION COMPANY'S POSITION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 54, 4 March 1913, Page 7

UNION COMPANY'S POSITION.

gIATEMENT BT SIR JASIES MILLS. TJ.KEN BY SURPRISE. : HOPEFUL OF SJ;ttJ.K.MEXT. (IS.v Telegraph.— Press Association.) DUXKDIX, this day. Sir James Mills finiinaper of the frion Company) stilted to a "Star" ; jepresontatm , that the precipitate I letiou of tlie engineers enmo as a rrre;it surpri.-". being out of ;ill proportion to i thf points of difference. A conference a" a friendly character was held, and ' (ppstiona of overtime and holidays were flic only sultftnrtial points in dispute. J,.,- jiiopofiils maiif by the company iere iiraMioally ihc terms of the eurrfiit with t!io Oflicers' Guild. T 1 !" En<rinccr>" Institute was r?jistcnd undi'r <he Arbitration Act, vet it would nui afiree to <ro to tiie Otiiai- though tlie company was willing, and the Institute had now ignored the icl "^'' er w' licll ;t waß registered. A ease was to be heard before the ConciHaiion Board this day, but was adjourned till tie ll.th inst. at the request of the engineers, hence the company's surprise at the action taken. Sir .Tomes Mills further said, with reference to the alleged breach of faith, that a question was r:ii.sed by Mr. Wai- , lace regarding adoption of the Australian i award. -Minutes of the conference held inOflU and correspondence with th Institute afforded .proof that it coul not he sustained. The company freel; ■admitted the services and loyalty of it staff, and was still hopeful that ; settlement would be arrived at with o rnthout the aid of the Conciliation Com missioner. So far the Maungunui's officers hay Tefeived no word from the steamer's en gineere.