STRONG ACTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 103, 2 May 1940, Page 8

STRONG ACTION.

URGED BY CHAMBER. EFFECT ON INDUSTRY. COMMITTEE CONSIDERING. Strong and immediate action to brin« about a settlement of fche dispute wa* urged at a meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to-day. The opinion was expressed by one speaker that the Minister of Labour should be asked to deregisier the Tramways Union as it had failed to carry out the text ol its agreement. The chairman, Mr. L. A. Eady, said the chamber was not interested in tat merits of the dispute, but in its impact on the commercial life of the city. He thought the Government should he aaked to take up the matter with urgency will the object of bringing about a settlement on constitutional lines. If the present position was continued indefinitely it would be serious. The city had already suffered as a result of the menV tactics. Mr. S. B. Macdonald objected to this course. There had already been too mud interference by the Government in tk private life of the citizens. Mr. B. H. Kingston pointed out that the Statutes provides for the settlement of each disputes, and the (love nun eat .should be urged to give effect to this legislation. It appeared that the members of the union were flouting their agreement. The Arbitration Court was the authority cited in the agreement U settle disputes, and if the tmmway mei did not play the game they should be deregistered. '-It seems that as soon as there if an industrial dispute there is a special commission set up to inquire into it r added Mr. Kingston. *This happened on the waterfront, whereas if the unioi had been deregistered for breaches of its award it might have brought the matter nearer to final settlement.'' l»The men were -working under a private agreement, not under an order of the Arbitration Court, said Mr. A. C. A. Sexton. Rules were being broken and the men should be disciplined by the Transport Board. "We do not want.to go cap in has! to the Government and ask them to tell the men to do their job," said Mr. A. G. Lunik The matter was referred by resolutioi to the communications and transport committee for immediate action, witi power to take any action it thought advisable. Telegram to Minister. The committee later sent the following telegram to the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. Webb: "The council of the chamber to-day discussed the seriouf effect on the commercial life and greai inconvenience and'expense to the publie generally resulting from the present tramways dispute. We strongly urge you to use your influence and powen to bring -about, an early settlement oi a constitutional basis."