WORDY WARFARE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15490, 18 January 1916, Page 5

WORDY WARFARE.

BREEZE AT SITTING OF CONCILIATION COURT. On the suggestion of Mr J. R. Triggs, Conciliation Commissioner, at the meeting of the Conciliation Council yestorday, that the dispute in the drapery trade between the employees and the employers be settled on the basis of a short-dated period as fixed by the Wellington award, considerable discussion arose a3 to the conditions in the two centres —"Wellington and .Christchurch. The Commissioner stated that there was no doubt that the drapery business in Wellington was more nourishing than in Ghristchurch, and this was t>orn© out by Mr Free, who stated that the capital city had benefited largely from the fact that it was the cnief centre in which war material was obtained. To a»certain extent tho question came up again later when there was a breeze between-the Commissioner and Mr Martin, an assessor on the side of the assistants. _ Mr Martin contradicted the Commissioner's statement that trade in Christchurch was falling off. He said he had accounts in his pocket which showed that sales had increased.

"How do you know?" said the Commissioner. "You can't tell. I know there is not an employee can tell what the business is, or how it compares with other years."

"But I do know," said Mr Martin; and he was supported by Mr Chisholm, who said he had papers in his pockets which could prove his statements. "You don't know," said Mr Triggs. "If you say you do, you are talking through your neck. Talk sense —not nonsense." Mr Martin heatedly replied, and, again the Commissioner stated. "You are talking through your neck." He asked the employers' assessors if they gavo their balance-sheets to their employees, and they said they did not. "But 1 know," said Mr Martin. "How do you know? There is not an employee in Christchurch," reiterated the Commissioner, "who can tell what his employer's business is." The matter then dropped.