Minister Not Advised Of Any Decision By Meeting

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29228, 11 June 1960, Page 14

Minister Not Advised Of Any Decision By Meeting

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 10. Late tonight no word had been received by the Minister of Labour (Mr Hackett) from the executive of the Federation of Labour on the outcome of its meeting today to consider whether to lift the ban earlier imposed on the load-out of export meat carcases and meat products. The Minister, who has cancelled engagements “right, left and centre” for tomorrow—mainly in Auckland—said the only word he had received came a little earlier from a Wairarapa source which said by telephone that the executive meeting had been adjourned and would be resumed tomorrow. “Apart from that we still are awaiting news which it was promised would reach us earlier this evening,” said Mr Hackett. He said the Secretary of Labour (Mr H. L. Bockett) had been assured by the federation that he would be notified of any discussions by the meeting today. ‘ Well, its now 11 o’clock and we still haven’t heard a thing,” said Mr Hackett.

The Minister was the only occupant of a Ministerial office

in Parliament House this evening. All his colleagues were either at the Labour Party’s annual ball in the Town Hall, Wellington, or away to fulfil other engagements. The Prime Minister (Mr Nash) called freezing company representatives to his office this morning to hear their side of the dispute. Mr Nash told reporters at his midday press conference that the representatives told him the history of the dispute. But he declined to comment further on the talks.

Mr Nash also refused to comment on a statement by the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr F. P. Walsh) that “Mr Nash has been hobnobbing with dictators like Khrushchev and seems to think I’ve got the same powers here.” Mr Walsh told the Press Association early this afternoon that there was no indication when the F.O.L. executive meeting was likely to end. He was questioned about reports that he had imposed the original ban himself and should be able to take it off himself. Mr Walsh replied: “The ban was imposed by the Federation of Labour executive, not me. I’m just.one of the small mortals.”

In Auckland tonight, Mr T. E. Skinner, vice-president of the Federation of Labour, said he knew of no arrangement for any member of the federation executive to inform Mr Hackett of the outcome of the executive meeting today. “If there had been such an arrangement, you can be sure I would have known about it,” he said. '

Mr Skinner said he left Wellington by air at 6.30 p.m. and reached Auckland about 8 p.m. If today’s meeting had reached a decision, Mr Skinner said, the result would have been passed on to Mr Bockett, who would have informed the Minister. “The federation executive meeting lasted all the afternoon and was to have gone on again in the evening after I left,” Mr Skinner said. “It will continue over the week-end. I am returning to Wellington on Sunday to attend another meeting of the executive on Monday.”