BUTTER WORKERS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 124, 18 February 1908, Page 7

BUTTER WORKERS' DISPUTE

— -— ' ' SINGULAR CHARGE AGAINST .EMPLOYERS. " : .(by TELEGRArii—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. 1 ) ' Mastertbn, February, 17: T , The Conciliation Board met afr'Masterton to-day to deal with the Butter and Cheese Workers' dispute. They visited the''factories at Greytown, Parkvale, Daleiield, Taratahi", and Feat-herston, and wbnt carefully .into the conditions of the* industry; iii ! these'dis-' tricts. , Finally they. expressed '; themselves satisfied that they had- buffic'iehtVoVMeHco' 'to 7 draw up V conditions. . .JThjj wero, not represented. ... 7" : " '" r '- In the courso of.tho sitting, Mr.. .AVestbrooko, the workers' representative, made; a rather sensational charge 1 against, the. ployers. 110 said lie regretted that tlio employers had not accepted v - of ,the Board to meet and ;tiy and adjust thb dispute amicably. He asserted that at; a meeting of the employees at Carterton on Saturday evening ,one ,pf -..the employee;) had made a statement there that although', only ■ gqtting £2 a wepk he was absolutely satislied with the conditions, and'lie considered' that the employers could, not pay more; if they were compelled to,' they would havo to' ;dispose of tlieir cows and go in for sheep.' This gentleman, said Sir.: .Westbrooke, ihad. admitted later oh, under, careful questioning, that lie had been filled up with pmployors' ideas aiyi employers' whisky to go;and make 5 'that statement. Mr.^We'stbrooke. went on, to invite the Board to;,visit, the various :fac-i tories and see for themselvesthe, conditions that existed, as the,.employers themselves would not come and givV'eWdbrice. t - Mr. Innes, the employers'.v representative on the Board, took exception to the unsubstantiated charges brought by Mr. "West- l brooke against the employers".'. ' 1 ■ '• Mr. 'Westbrooke offered .to ;.brin£, three or I four witnesses to provo the'admission of tho I man to whom he had referred; . • ■•■■H

Tho Court proceeds to. Danneyirko to-pi'or-row. ..