NO AGREEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 764, 12 March 1910, Page 5

NO AGREEMENT.

THE FLAX WORKERS' DISPUTE. (By Telegraph,—Press Association.) Palmerston, March 11. In accordance with the instruction from the Arbitration Court, thfit tho millowners and the. employees in the flax industry dispute should meet in conference and endeavour to fix the wages on a sliding GcaU, tlie parties to the dispute met at ; the office of the Manawntu Employers' Association. Tho Flax Workers' Union was represented by .Messrs. Dalhousie, Whibley,' Robinson, and M'lvor, and the millownere by Messrs. R. T. Bell, L, Seifirt J. Liggins and E. L. Broad, while Messrs. Scott, M'Cnllough, and Pryor alio assisted in the deliberations. Tho conference sat till nearlj midnight, butfaied to come to a settlement. An adjournment was then made till to-day, but, though it sat right on till nearly five o'clock, stilt no settlement was arrived ut, and it was then decided to abapdon. any further attempt at an agreement, and to go back to tho Court ! The union wis particularly anxious to secure an unconditional preference clause to whioh the employers would not agree, and, though thq conference got very close to an agreement, tho preferenco clause and the ratos 'for scutchings barred a .final agreement.' . The fact that the parties could not come to on agreement will now be reported to the Arbitration Court, which will now have frame on award.