SAWMILLS DISPUTE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18342, 27 March 1925, Page 11

SAWMILLS DISPUTE.

RIVAL UNIONS. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TXLEGEAM.) "WELLINGTON, March 26. The unusual position of two union secretaries oppoeing- each other was eeen in the Arbitration Court to-day, when the Court was asked to convert recommendations made by a conciliation council in tho sawmills dispute into an award. Mr J. Reed represented the Wellington Timber Yards tnd Sawmills Union, and Mr F. Turley objected on behalf of tho North Wellington Timber Yards and Sawmills Induetrisl Union of Workers. He eaid his body *waa duly registered as covering the whole of tho territory outeide a 20-jnilo radius of Wellington. This being eo, no other union had a right to make an award or speak on behalf of men outside tho 25mile .radius. The Court must recognise his union's ii^bt to control workers in that aistriot. There wero a thousand men outBide Wellington, ajad the Wellington Union gave -those men no opportunity to oontrol their own affairs. They were not satisfied with the proposod award. Ho knew there had been much opposition to the new union, both by tho union and the employers. They had a right to object. Mr Reed said that the Wellington Unions ri°-ht to cover the whole district had neverbeen questioned. The men had refused to join the -union, and no union could be expected to consult non-unionist*. It -was only after an honourable agreement had been arrived a.+ that this new -umon was hurriedly formed. _ . . The Court reserved its decision.