A PUBLIC MATTER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1084, 24 March 1911, Page 8

A PUBLIC MATTER.

GENERAL LABOURERS' CLAIMS THE COUNCIL'S DECISION. MAYOR'S OPINION UPHELD. A letter from the General. Labourers' Union to the City Council, in which the union sets out its reasons for desiring that a conference which recently met abortively should resume in private, Rave via l to a brisk discussion at the meeting of the council last evening. The text of the union's letter has be;n already published in The Dominion. 'When it came before the council last evening, Councillor M'Lnren moved that it be referred to the Finance Committee. The Game of Repartee. Councillor Hindiuarsh contended that the request for a private coni'crence, conveyed in the letier, should be granted. To his Worship the councillor suggested that taking- the course he advocated would merely be extending the same courtesy as Mr. Wilford would extend to a junior counsel opposed to him in Court. Mr. Reardon naturally felt nervous on being confronted by a man of his Worship's experience and by Mr.. Atkinson. He thought that in the game of repartee he might show up rather badly, and that his union might judgo him harshly. It was quire natural that he should have asked that tho discussion of points should bo taken privately. Afterwards the committee could announce the results of the conference to the public. "I hope," said Mr. Hindiuarsh, "that the council will take into consideration Mr. Reardon's feelings on being confronted by two lawyers." (Laughter.) "Yes," continued "the councillor, "members of the union reading the report might . sav. 'Our man did not do as well as he might have done.' I am certain (addressing tho Mayor) that, if a young practitioner appeared against you in Court you'would make every allowance and try to assist him rather than to humiliate him. I ask you to extend the same courtesy to Mr. Reardon. who may be regarded as a youne counsel representing a client." Concluding, Councillor' liindmarsh moved that the conference be taken in camera, and that the committee have tho right to discuss the findings in public, or before tho council. The amendment lapsed for want of a seconder.

"Quite Idlo." Speaking to the original motion, the Major said it would be quite idle to refer tho matter back to the Finance Committee. The sub-committee set up by the Finance Committee to confer with the union representatives had decided that, for reasons, previously stated by the speaker, the conference should bo public. The question was .a public one. As- to the remarks made by Councillor Hindmarsh, Mr. Wilford said ho was sure Mr. Keardou would say that at the public meeting v;hich ho attended the other night (tho Tramway Conference), the speaker had extended every possible courtesy to the tramway representatives. Councillor liindmarsh: "I don't mean that sort of courtesy." Continuing, Mr. Wilford claimed that his habitual courtesy was in some desreo answerable for tho smooth passage of business in the council during' the past twelve' months. Ha could assure Mr. Reardon that he would give every consideration to anything he (Mr. Reardon) might want to say. The. questions raised, however, Were essentially of a public nature. For instance, the. demands involved in or.o point an increase to 10s. per day of tho payment for casual labour, which, in turn, .would involve raisins tho payment of labour in other grades. Councillor M'Laren here. rose, to a point of order. This was not the place to discuss the-claim. The Mayor agreed that perhaps the councillor was right: However, nothing would bo gained by referring the matter back to the Finance Committee. Ho would ask tho council to stand by the decision of the sub-committee. Councillor Jl'Laren explained that as the Finance Committee had set up the sub-committee, the intention of his motion was to refer the matter back, by the proper channel, to the sub-committee.

Judge of Its Own Procedure, The sub-committee,, the Mayor claimed, had the right to lie judge of its own procedure. By n majority—ho was quite willing to state that Councillor M'Laren had dissented— the sub-committee had decided that the matter should be taken jn public, and that the demands should bo fought in public. To refer tho matter back would put the Finance Committee in the position of bavins to .say, "You must not do what you did." ....... Councillor Trevor opined that it would be a mere waste of time to re-open the matter. It was his impression that the dispute would have to go to the Court, and, as a member of the sub-committee, he did not feel inclined to waste another evening. • Councillor Luke said he would oppose the resolution, particularly in view of statement? that had appeared in the press. Mr. Reardnn had made statements that practically put the council and its engineer on their trial. Til the interests of the public, the position taken up by tho sub-committee must be upheld. It would be better and fairer for both cm-, plovecs and council (hat tho matter should go to the Arbitration Court. An Established Policy. Replying to objections, Councillor M'Laren said it had been an established policy of the council to endeavour to amicably settle matters of this kind in dispute. On every occasion, until recently, this had been done. There had been a number of private conferences with employees. This, said Councillor M'Laren, was the wisest course from a business standpoint. The Mayor said he was very willing to rc-ceivo the union's proposals and discuss all they had to say, but it must bo in public. Councillor M'Laren insisted that it was the invariable rulo in cases of industrial dispute, that the preliminary proceedings should take' the form of a iriendly tall; in private conference. This was done when a case was heard by the Conciliation Commissioner and assessors, and in the speaker's judgment it was the most practicablo and businesslike way of handling such matters. The council should not take up an arbitrary position. The power lay with tho council of deciding whether the conference should be open or private and the power should be exercised with clemency. In the best interests of the city the whole matter should be reconsidered. Some middle ground might be discovered which would ■ enable the council and union to arrive at ' a settlement of the whole matter.

Sub-Committee Upheld. On a division Councillor M'Laren's motion to refer the letter of the union to the Finance Committee was defeated by ten votes to three. ■\nswering a question tho Mayor stated that the sub-committee would report to the Finance Committee and the latter body would report, to the council in tho ordinary way as to the result at which the conference had arrived.