LABOUR TROUBLES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 224, 15 June 1908, Page 8

LABOUR TROUBLES.

. 3 WEAKNESS OF THE ACT. BLACKWATER MINES AND AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS. (bt tbleqbaph.—special correspondent.) Chrlstchurch, June 13. Mr. J. F. Arnold, M.P., arrived from Dunedin .last evening.,, to confer with tho Federated. Bootmakers' Council with regard to tho Government's Conciliation and Arbitration Bill. Asked by. a Press reporter whether ho had anything to say with regard to the present dispute in connection with the tramways in Auckland, Mr. Arnold said that, in his opinion, no permanently satisfactory arrangement would be arrived'at until the wholo of tho tramway system' was taken over by tho municipality. Recently he visited Auckland, and found that not only was the system out of date and the public very greatly inconvenienced, but the employees, as a wholo, were working under very great difficulties. If tho City Council were not prepared to negotiate for the taking over of the cars, they would have to compel the company to provide, sufficient accommodation for the public, so that strap-hangers would not be necessary. It was thought that the present dispute was likely to be arranged by a conference,. but this,probably would only be a temporary cessation of strife. Sir. Arnold said it was to bo regretted that the Blackwater miners had added another striko' to the already too numerous list; These strikes wero causing a great amount of anxiety, and showed the necessity of the Legislature, at ..once strengthening the'hands of the Conciliation Boards, and doing something to remove the lack of confidence which was increasing in the minds of the workers iu regard to the Arbitration Court.; "A WASTE OF TIME." MR. WITTY ON' THE FARM LABOUR. ; ERS' DISPUTE. (by telegraph—press association.) Chrlstchurch, June 14. • Speaking on the subject' of the farm labourers' dispute, Mr! Geo. Witty, M.P., at his meeting at Papanui last night, eaid that if ever there was a waste of time and energy, it was over that dispute. The conduct of the.case had left a bitter taste in the mouths not only of the employees but of the employers also! Tho parties could have met together in 'a conciliatory spirit, and come to some agreement instead of abusing and vilifying one another as they had been doing the last six months. Each side had tried to pull the other to pieces, and he said that both-sides were wrong. The whole thing could have beeu settled months ago by agreement. ' y ■ ONE CONTRACTOR OR " WORKING PARTIES"? j MINERS' ATTITUDE (BT telegbaph—press 'association.) r Recfton, June 13. There are no further developments in conflection with the Blackwater contractors' strike trouble,' Tho district is under tho control of the Inangahua Miners' Union, and the president 01. tho latter will visit Blackwater tomorrow,'when the matter will bo fully discussed, but no - news will bo available till Monday. ■ Mr. E. W. Spender, general manager, of the Corislidatcd Goldfields, Limited, and Blackwater Mines,,. is at present at Black.water. i . - , ; The men are. determined to insist on contracts being divided 'amongst working parties. ; They , object to ono man obtaining four or five contracts at once, and regard the same as the thin end of the wedge in sweating. NORTHERN TRAMWAYS. : PARTIES CANNOT AGREE' AS TO A ' CHAIRMAN. , (D? TELEGRAPH—PitESS ASSOCIATION:) Auckland, June 13. The special board appointed to decide the tramways .dispute'has been unable,'.to agree as to the appointment of a chairman. This task will, therefore, devolve' upon tho Government.