SHOULD RETURN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 12, 15 January 1937, Page 3

SHOULD RETURN.

MR. LYON'S ADVICE,

MEN AT WORKS ADDRESSED

ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT. The attitude of the Government toward the action of the men taking part in the stay-in campaign was defined at a meeting of the Westfield men this morning by Mr. W. J. Lyon. M.l\ for Waitomata', who represented the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. -Armstrong. Mr. Lyons urged the men to return to work and to continue negotiations. He stressed the fact that the dispute was. a serious source of embarrassment to tile Government. Mr. Lyon later addressed a meeting of tlie men at the Southdown works. The secretary of the union, Mr. S. K. Sill, poke at both meetings, when lie urged the necessity of the Government factually doing something" instead of "merely negotiating." A combined meeting of delegates from both works was held late this aftrnoon, when the matter was further discussed. Mr. Lyons, who spoke first, w<is given a cordial reception and an attentive hearing at the meeting at Westfield. The speaker reminded his audience that it bad played its part in returning the Labour Government to power <it the last election and he appealed for a continuance of that support. Since the advent of the Government to office there had been a large number of industrial disputes and the Government was inclined to ask if it' had the workers behind it. (Cries of "yt't', we are.") Government Embarrassed. The action of the men in the frezing works dispute was seriously embarrassing the Government, Mr. Lyons continued. Did they want to see'a Labour Government lighting against the workers? he asked. He assured them that the Government had every sympathy with all classes of workers in the Dominion and was doing all it could to fulfil its pre-election promises. He himself would lie pleased to help wherever possible ond, if desired by the men, he would go down to Wellington with t'hem if negotiations were resumed. He accordingly appealed to the men to abandon the stay-in campaign and to return to work.

Mr. Lyon emphasised the point tint . negotiations had been conducted. Th< Government had restored the Arhitra tioii Court, and it naturally had to abidi by its decisions. In introducing the 40 hour legislation, the Government hai realised that difficulties would arise, bu it hoped these would eventually hi satisfactorily adjusted. He supported the statement of Mr. Armstrong thai the union had failed to keep in toucl with the Government and had not c'nai suited bis (Mr. Armstrong's) Depart ment. He further assured the men that they could have their own representative at the negotiation conferences. "Practical Help" Needed. Mr. Sill said talk of negotiation and even negotiations themselves would aeieve little or nothing. He would be prepared to co-operate with the Government, provided it gave an understanding that it would assist in a practical manner. The Government must do more than talk; it must show what force it had behind it to enforce its wishes. The conditions of the men engaged in the freezing works should not be tolerated by a Labour Government for live minutes. Mr. Sill expressed surprise that Mr. Armstrong himself had not come to address the men. He referred to the telegram sent him by the Minister as "a most improper one, "and one that should never have been sent.'' Mr. ,Sj|| also recounted part of a telephone conversation between Mr. Armstrong and himself after the telegram had been sent. After Mr. Lyon bad replied to points raised by Mr. Sill, the meeting broke up, no vote being taken. Mr. Lyon and Mr. Sill then proceeded to the Southdown works and gave similar addresses. The proposals made by Mr. Lyon will be put again before a meeting of delegates this afternoon. "I am not going to be browbeaten by any Minister, not even .Air. .Armstrong," said Mr. Sill, after a meeting at Westfield yesterday. "I deny that I. was responsible for the present situation, and if -Air. Armstrong'has not sufficient intelligence to see that, the best tiling he could do would be to go on strike himself.

| "In all my experience of strikes and labour troubles, I and the men in the ; union I represent have had more syni- ' pathy from • previous Ministers of ' Labour than we have had from Mr. ; Armstrong. It is quite untrue to say that I was responsible for the present situation. As a matter of fact, I advised the men of the consequences of their proposed action. I admit T did not actively oppose the men in the line they proposed to follow." It was stated by the men at Westfield and .Southdown that they were still pnjoying their voluntary "imprisonment" and had no intention of giving ill until their objectives wore realised. . There was no shortage of food, and the catering and other aivangemcnts were operating smoothly. "The storm last night did' not worry us." said one of the men, "as we were .too tired to do anything but sleep. It was 'high jinks' for most the preceding night and we had but little rest. However, we made up for it by a good slumber last night." The men continue to spend their time playing cards, indulging in outdoor exercises when the weather permits and listening to the radio. It was stated this morning, that no developments in consectiou with the dispute! had occurred so far as the I waterside workers were concerned, and i they- were continuing to handle refrigerated produce.