I WEEK-END NEGOTIATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 94, 21 April 1924, Page 3

I WEEK-END NEGOTIATIONS.

SECOND WAGES BOARD. AGREED TO BT CABINET. (By Telegraph—Preee Association.) WELLINGTON, Sunday. The railway crisis assumed a brighter ispect to-day. Interviewed this afterwon the Prime Minister stated that a deputation from the A.S.R.S had waited ipon the Minister of Railways and himfdf, and had asked for another Wages Board. A special meeting of Cabinet n» held, and, after a lengthy conferee, Cabinet agreed on the main point, tint of being willing to give the railnymen another wages board, "but," tdded Mr. Massey, "there are two points not settled yet. It is not yet decided who is to be the chairman, and it is not jrt certain whether the executive of tie A.S.R.S. will agree with what has leen done. The board is to go into the w»ges question and other claims of the nflwaymen." A very pessimistic view of the situation was taken on Saturday regarding tie possibilities of the railway strike when it was known that over 80 per lent of the ballot papers so far received were in favour of a strike for an intrease in wages. At midday there was every indication that this -would be the end of the crisis, as members of the executive had intimated their view that ihe verdict of the ballot should be Kted upon. A little later Messrs. M. Connelly and M. J. Mack (representing the A.S.R.S.) met the Minister of Railways. This resulted in a meeting of Cabinet being speedily called. Cabinet met at 2.40 p.m., and sat all afternoon, resuming again in the evening. The proposals of the A.S.R.S. were placed Wore Cabinet, which, later, submitted farther proposals to the A.S.R.S., which tere discussed by their representatives before the conference concluded at 9.45 pjn. Messrs. Connelly and Mack then left Parliament Buildings, stating is they did so that there was nothing to say, but that negotiations were not dosed. A few minutes later the Minister of Railways (Hon. J. G. Coatee) •ppeared and made the following stateBent:— "Certain proposals were made through the Minister of Railways, and they were considered by Cabinet. Cabilet then made further proposals, which *ere discussed by the representatives of the A.SJt.S., and will be considered by their executive." He added that the president of the A.S.R.S. and the Minister of Railways would meet again on Monday morning Mr. Mack, secretary of the A.S.R.S, itated to a reporter yesterday that a new wages board had been asked for, and Cabinet had agreed to this proposal. It had been suggested that it should tonsist of representatives from each tide, and the Government suggested that ihe chairman should be selected from the Judges of the Supreme Court. The latter point has not yet been agreed »pon.