THE COUNCIL FOOLED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1355, 5 February 1912, Page 5

THE COUNCIL FOOLED.

SUB-COMMITTEE REPORTS. ONE MAN CAUSED DEADLOCK. : NO MISUNDERSTANDING. The Oily Council met on Saturday morning. The business which it .was intended should be transacted at the meeting was a ratification of an agreement with the, tramway men, but there was no agreement. What happened was that tho- council henrd tho story of the negotiations from tho members of, the sub-committee. An especially clear'and detailed account was given by Councillor ShirtclifTe. This was done in open council, and then tho council relapsed into committee. They sat in commutes for a few minutes only, when they decided to, adjourn owing to the turbulence of Councillor Hindmarsh. ACTING-MAYOR'S STATEMENT. Tho Acting-Mayor (Air. J. Smith) said lhat a sub-committee of tho council met l sub-committee of the Strike Committee, ind tho council then put before tho Special Committee of the Strike Committee tho resolutions that had been adopted by the council. The matters at issua wp.;c 'argued far some time, annd the union men said they would take the resolutions back to the Strike Committee, and let the council then know the result at a later period of the day. Some time after six o'clock the Strike Subcommittee returned. The council subcommittee met them, and after some little demur the latter agreed to sign Hie agreement. The (own clerk then had the ngreoment typewritten, brought copies back, and linnded them round. Alter Eome little conversation, the sub-commit-teo of the Strike Committee agreed to Bigu, They talked a little more among themselves, and then Mr. Young got i.p and »id they would not sign it. He said R'ords had liecn imported into Number 1 clause -.Uncli were not there when they referred the mailer to I ho Strike C.iinmjtliie. The council couimilteo showed that tlio i-.touse was exactly in Hie form that it was in the afternoon. However, they would not bo satisfied. Mr. Young noid ho would not siip because certain words hud been imported into it—"At the request, of Mr. Fulljr." All council!.rs knew thsvfc this was the resolution nf the council, and the sub-committee could not depart From if. Then Hie Strike Committed went <:.--] ti> sN'.le lhat they had no gnaranleo that Mr. Fuller would l>e [-ut in such a position lhat he would not lx> in contact with the union. Then (he council committee p'uiiii'.'od the minute of the council, which was in exolanation

of the resolution arrived at, and showed that it was duly placed on the minutes. The council representatives then offered them a copy of the minutes of the proceedings of the council, but they were not satisfied with that. Some members of the committee were averse to leaving the matter without some definite result, but Mr., Young left the room,' and the whole matter was off. The council committee seemed very disappointed with tho result, having believed that the whole matter was finally settled and that the trams would be running next day. Tho men's representatives had in tho meantime been granted the nse of the Concert Hall free of charge, the council having thought that the business was at an end. COUNCILLOR M'LAREN NOT PRESENT. Councillor Frost hero raised the objection that before the members of the subcommittee made their explanations, all the members of it should be present. The only member of the sub-committee, absent was Mr. D. M'Larcn, arid lie came into the room some few minutes later. Councillor Fitzgerald: I move that Councillor Frost bo deputed to find the missing member. 'T .'.' .'. Councillor Fuller: I second that. Councillor Atkinson: And I move that in tho meantime ivo go on ldth tho business. Councillor Frost reiterated his contention that all the members of tho commit, teo had a right to hear all that the others said. Councillor Cameron suggested that Councillor Fitzgerald withdraw his motion. He did not want any reflection passed on tho member who was awav. He believed that Mr. M'l.nren. with the other absent member (who was Councillor Hindmarsh), was away endeavouring to do something to settle tho dispute. COUNCILLOR FLETCHER DISAPPOINTED. Tho Actiug-Mayor agreed with Councillor Cameron that no odious meaning should be attached to Councillor M'Laren's absence. Councillor Fletcher said that as a member of the Special Committee deputed to try to effect a settlement, he could say that their efforts soemed to all of them to have been so successful that the solution of the trouble appeared to bo in sight. He had been astonished to hear last night that the whole thing had been nullified by four simple words. No emphasis had been laid on the particular point when the committee met. The vhn!question in Clause 1 as it was presented to the committee was as to where Inspector Fuller was to be placed. Clause 1 read as follows: "That Inspector Fuller be transferred at his own request to another'branch of the service." The Strike Committee wished to have the word "corporation" inserted before "service," but when this was referred to the council, the council would not hear of it. In order to remove nil the grievances the men were supposed to have, the committee went as' far as they could, and aetuallv gave to the Strike Committee a copy of the minute referring to where Mr. Fuller was to be placed. The minute was: "That it bo an instruction to the electrical engineer to have Fuller placed in a position where he will not have any dealings with tho members of the XYamwny Employees' Union." Phis pc-int had been the reai bone of contention. The point about tho words which had caused the agreement to fail had not been argued at all. The Strike Committee wanted this minute embodied in Clause (1), and in reply they were offered a copy of tho minute, attested and signed bv all tho-members of the subcommittee, mid by the town cleric. This saemed to make a settlement possible, and he had felf keenly disappointed last night when he learned that the whole agreement had fallen to the ground on account of these words,'■ "At his own request." The original request of the union was for the dismissal of Fuller, and the council decided on the casting vote of the Mayor to transfer that officer. Councillor Shirtcliffe: Because ho has applied. ■

Councillor Fletcher: Tt doesn't matter. They F.avo agreed, am!' I couldn't see anything in the way of a settlement after we gave thorn this minute. It appeared to mo that the trouble oujlit to have been settled last night, and tho trams should have been running this morning. It seemed to mo that the words "at his own request" were not a consideration. At any rate, I left the room hoping and believing that the whole difficulty had been solved.

COUNCILLOR SHIRTCLIFFE'S STORY. NO ROOM FOR DOUBT. Councillor Shirtcliffe next gave liis explnnation. "At this juncture," lie said, "I think it should bo made very clear lo the public that "the council nas done all thai it could lie rro.soi'.ahly cxiieclc-d lo do in the directum of Hireling the men's request, and that this sub-committee has goiK* to the utmost possible length that it could within the scone.of its instructions. The sub-committee had a very arduous day yp.siorday. They met Hie Strike Committer several times, and waited until Si! minutes past G at the request of the delegates in Lho. expectation of getting from them their definite reply. At G. 20 the delegates arrived, und >tr. Young told us they reluctantly agreed to Clause (1), as draftal by us, and that they abandoned Clause (2), the indemnity clause, enlirely. Then wo naturally thought everything was arrangod. [ want to make it quite clcai' that in our minds there can Ire no room for any doubt whatever that Mr. Young and his colleagues fully understood what tliey were considering. We put all the resolutions of the council boforo them during the discussions that took olace yesterday. My own inctuo.

of the alterations that the mniiH had decided upon in the unlen'o demands was passed round. i.u union's demand in Clanso (1) was the permanent removal of Inspector Fuller from the tramway service." Continuing, Councillor Shirtclific said:— "My memorandum of the resolution of the council was 'the transfer of Inspector Fuller, at his own request, to another branch of the service.' ' That was put to the delegates. These words and no other words were put before tho delegates, and we made it abundantly clear that not only were we hound by the resolution passed by tho council, but that tho council was absolutely firm in not going beyond the four corners of Inspector Fuller's letter to us. WHY FULLER WAS TRANSFERRED. "We told the delegates in tho first instance that tho council was absolutely firm upon refusing to dismiss Fuller, or to allow him to suffer an injustice. Our only reason for granting clause (1) was that Inspector Fuller had, on his own motion, scut us in a letter explaining how difficult it would bo for him to continue in his position, and placing himself entirely in our hands, in ,tho liopo that wo would transfer him to another position. There is not the slightest room for doubt that the delegates fully understood what they were considering. In tho early afternoon they went to consult with their committee, and they came back at G. 20, and told us they reluctantly agreed to our terms. Mr. Palmer set out to get the agreement typed. He handed it to Mr. Eeardon, who nodded his nsscnt when he read it. It was then passed to Mr. Hickev. who raised tho point that the words ? Where he shall not come in contact with any members of tho Tramways Union,' were' not embodied in it. We pointed out to him that they never were embodied in it and that they never had been embodied in the resolutions of the council and we had no power to put them in. He said then that he must have misunderstood the position, and he apologised if ho had done so. "

"I'M NOT GOING TO SIGN." "Then it was passed on to Mr. Tonne, who said at once, 'I'm not going to sign ■ ~ ° wo " ,(1 not a srco to it. We used all the influence we could to show them tho unreasonableness of the attitude they were taking up at that juncture. U . Pomtod out that they had all along had resolutions of the council before them, and that they could not possibly go beyond those resolutions. We su<£ gested to them that as the council had a ready passed a resolution instructing the engineer to place Puller in «onic position in the tramway service where lie would not be in contact with the members of tho Tramways Union the pom could bo regarded as settled. And we ottered to g,v e him a copy of the rosohition, certified as a minute of the council, lhat resolution was passed from It fr, °l m "trance iiom the Electrical Engineer that in. could place Inspector Fulfe.fn a position hctwi t£ m n i ny *'"? com 6in c ° n " TTnL, f'V°i ,n(,,nb «s of the Tramways Inion, and tho council felt it was a very I.."occto?'!' n" °, f thD because inspector I'uller has snecin knowledge of *bi m hi,rto al fin 1 ' S H ,vhic ' 1 -? 0 m ™K awe him to fill tlio position the engineer S S f ? r 'T CrwlUnW >- i »> (1 '"»h (.mm results to the corporation Mr Young insisted at that late hour that f that was the resolution of He council why toMh?,^ 7 -" iU , the ■Wwniont?' *vJ to d him again and a Sa n that the com, c. would not alter this by a single word; that they were absolutely lfe fe m ', ne< ' aml lhat ™ of Hie suborn mittee had no power to alter it U>com

WHAT THE COUNCIL OFFERED, ' "But we said this: We will embody a l"£J ! "V 050111 " 0 " "'slructing the en" ginecr on the agreement. The aVeemcnt would then luive read as follows:"TO.ir l -~ ,'" I '°to Hall, „ , ,Wellin>rton, I'ebruarv 2, 191" As tho result of the conference between the delegates nppoin<ed bv he City Council and the delegates appoint. ' il hi l :f/ rram 7 a .v Strike Committee, under been ""itually agreed as here!

, " L , Tll , al i Inspector Fuller be transient, "Vim* ° Wn •° tl " ost t0 "nofter branch of the service;. 2. That tho council guarantees that on the resumption of work tho men involved m tins trouble shall not bo subject to victimisation, but shall be reins-total in their employment without loss of status. "Signed on behalf of the conference" .\ote.-Wit 1, regard b Clause 1 uf this agreement, the following resolution has bee.i passed by the Citv Conncil: .Mint it be an instruction to the l-jlcctric.il .Engineer, on settlement of the dispute, to have Inspector Vuller ii'accil in a position where ho will not have any dealings with tho members ot the Jramways Union.'" WOULD AGREE TO NOTHING. "There was no misunderstanding about it. By the way I should say that Mr. Young said that they agreed to tho council s conditions, but they would like to submit the agreement to the meeting of h-niiiwaymcn that was to lie held that evening for ratification. When this difficulty cropped up we offered that if thev would sign the agreement, they could do s:>, and it would bo subject lo ratification by the meoling in the evening, althoiHi we ha<l their previous assurance that they wore fully empowored to close nogotialions with us. (Here Mr. M'Larcn made some inaudible protest.) "When I asked Mr. Young whether it was a fact that they had power to close,

negotiations he said 'We have the power but we think it better policy to submit the whole thing to the men.' Wc realised that it was, no uh> entering into an agreement that the men would not confirm, and wc said 'We'll agree to that: if you sign the agreement it will be subject to ratification bv the meeting, and we'll agren to endorse that on the typed copy, lie would agree to nothing, ami then, and not till then, he raised the question about these words, 'at bis own request, which be said would mean loss of prestige to the union. I felt so disgusted that 1 lett the l-oom, and I am very sorry now that I stayed so long. 1 tee) ashamed of myself for having spent (be whole (lay, though it was done with the intention of putting an end to this dispute, and llien b be fooled in the end. HE BACKED OUT. "Thexo is only one man responsible for this difficulty, and that is Mr. Wing. (Mr. M'Laren again made a murmured protest.) ,~, , , ~ "t sav so, and I say it deliberately. Mr. Young ■•understood the whole position and the absolute conditions the executive were considering, but he came in, agreed to the terms, and then, at the last moment, tor what reason I can't understand, backed out- ... ,i "While on my feet I just want to say 1 think some notice should be taken ot the statements that Jlri Young has made in the heat of the wordy warfare that has been going on outside. Ho has made statements-— Councillor Fletcher and others, spending mostly in undertones, tried to dissuade Councillor Rhirtcliffo from making any remark about statements made outside the council. . Councillor Shirtclilfe: ,r No, I think I had better go on. It is time some notice was taken of these statements. I feel very sorry that the result of our negotiations ended as it did. And I feel very indignant that Mr. Young should have thrown us over, as ho did, at the very last minute, without any reason whatever so far as I can find, THE REAL REASON. "I would just like to notice that Mr. Young states that in the opinion of his executive a breach of faith has been committed. I say these words fit exactly the. action of Mr. Young and his colleagues. There is no use mincing the matter. Mr. Young has committed a distinct breach of faith with the Corporation Committee. The real reason for Mr. Young's attitude appears to be contained in the last few words of his statement 'after the mass meeting: 'As to the words objected to, the council wants to foist upon us what is not in the minutebook'—we didn't; we offered to give l.im exactly what was in the minute-book— •'and which led the public to believe that Fuller is transferred at his own request. Yve want the public to understand that he has been transferred at our request.' That is tbo raison d'etre for Mr. Young's action, and I do hope that this council will be absolutely united, that they will not move from this position—that they are not transferring Fuller at the union's request, but at his own request."

COUNCILLOR M'LAREN'S REVIEW. Councillor M'Laren, who had entered the Council Chamber at about ten minutes past eleven, was the next speaker.

"I have tried, all the way through," he said, "to deal with this matter, apart from the heated feeling and particularly from the heated explosions reported from time to timo in the newspapers, becauso even the coolest man may, on occasions of this kind, let drop a phrase that is unfortunate, and I am afraid that a good monj- all round have been unfortunate in dwelling on the phraseology so far as to be led away from the substance of the matter. .Now it has been suggested, both on one sido and the other, that there has been a breach of faith, either intentional or unintentional."

The Acting-Mayor: "I must remind j ou that it has been decided that this is tho report of the sub-committee."

Councillor M'Laren said he quite understood that. "I have been endeavouring since yesterday," he continued, "to review the situation carefully for tho purpose of finding whether there may not have been some error of procedure or method that has led to misunderstandings, and to the uulortunale situation that has now arisen. It appeared to us perfectly clear that the matter was fully put before the delegates from tho other side. This is my remembrance of the procedure. When the four representatives of the council met the four representatives of the Strike Committee, there was on the table a type-written copy of tho three clauses and demands 'of the Striko Committco or of the Tramways Union, and there was also in writing—l think in the writing of Councillor Shirtclilfe—the two amendments that had been adopted by the council." Two strangers who entered at this stage wero informed by the Acting-Mayor that the meeting was not open to the public, and were requested to withdraw. They at once went out.

Mr. M'Laren: "I was sketching from memory what was the procedure at tho ' conference, and I think 1 am perfectly 1 right in this—my colleagues will correct mo if I am wrong—that tho original type-written copy of the three demands of the union was on tho table. Then I think there was the written copy of the amendments to clauses ono and three, which had been adopted by this council. These were handed to yourself (tho Acting-Mayor), as chairman, and vou read clause one, over which tho difficulty has arisen. A discussion then commenced upon that clause, and very full consideration was given to the appeal of the union's representatives that this man should 1)0 transferred to another department, where he would not come into eontact with members of the Tramways , Union, wherever he was put within tho > tramway service. The discussion followed \ that question for some considerable time. .' then Mr. Young said that he could not accept our amendment. There was some ,' further talk ever the matter, and then < tiie four consulted together—l ihink I,' a , m right in that. Then they told us that they could not accept that amended ( clause one which we presented. Wo asked them why they could not, and thev agreed to submit it. Yes, they said they muld not agree to clause one, after that consultation together, and Mr. loung said that they would submit it to their full Strike Committee. We concurred in that, and it was further a«reed on our part that we should submit to the council the proposed inclusion of the word corporation,' which I afterwards moved here, but which the council did not agree to. Anyhow, it is immaterial when it was done. It seems to mo that it is here that an error or misundersrandjyg may have crept in-that while tins ctauso was read by yourself, no copies were provided for anyone else, and they (the strikers' deputation) did not take away with them, as far as I could udge, any lung in writing. They probT J T Ut V ac ,', c fl ' o,n the discission about inspector luller beng transferred out 0 the department altogether-they probtlm nnl' e " , ■ hM H\ °J" 1 P r ««>fed tliat as only thing that we wanted with ref--111« t0 J 1 "* 1 !* 0 °, nc ' aml overlooked the' hen n'fn • ll0 "" h H ha(l bMn rea <l to them a i the, r o wn request. the Acting-Mayor: They took it down. Mi. MLaren: ] did not see them take , 1 ± W "p , -" t ~or ,™v h«ve been how t aioso. Prior to the second conference Uiey went back, as we know, to their full committee. We cime here in the cum" and reported upon the situation, and we met them alio strike deputation) litm the evening. Mr. Young said,'"With reluctance 1 Invo to inferin vou th.n ve have agreed to the terms submitted by .vou, and we considered then that we Had got to a. stage when it was a matter ol ratification

Councillor Hotelier: And gratification!

SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE,

Councillor M'Lnron: And gratification to both sides. It was something of a surprise to me, and J think In the re.st of the councillors on the committee when the town dork brought up the typewritten copies of the agreement, and llr. Young and Mr. Jlickey read over Clauso I, and both said that (hey had understood that he (Inspector Fuller) was to be transferred to some other branch of the service where ho would not como into contact with members of the. Tramways Union. They understood that this would have been in Clause t. It was after further discussion, 1 believe, that Mr. Youn" said that I lice words v-.ro -~!■ ,•■'■■•. ..;. had submitted to tho council at hia refinest. Councillor ShirtclilTe: Tt was in (lie last five minutes. Councillor H'Laren: I know Hint Iheir main contention was (hat they had insisted that, it should be embodied in Ihe agreement that Inspector Fuller should bo transferred to a position where he would not come in contact with metuls&rs

of the tramways Union. That, thev conended, was what they had prc-pntcd to then- full committee. Mr. Young said that he was placed in an entirely faiso position because ho had presented that view of the matter tu the full committee, and now he was being called unon to present something which did not include thi.s proviso, to a full meeting here in the Concert Chamber. He (Mr. Young) also mentioned the inclusion of the words "at his own request." He did not seem to me to have very strong objection to these words. At any rate, it was not discussed at any length. "We pointed out that we had no power to alter file resolution when it had been conio to by the council, and Unit wc had only been given authority to settle on the basis of tho resolutions which tho council itself had arrived at. At tho same time, we pointed out that this resolution which was being placed in tho margins here (the resolution instructing the engineer to transfer .Inspector Fuller) had been carried by the council, and was in tho minute-book. We said (hat wo saw no reason why that should not be attached to the memorandum of agreement between the parties. I contended ('hut it would bo at least something cf an interpretation of clause one. They (the strike deputations) held that its appearance in thi.s form was not satisfactory, and that it should be embodied, in clause one, as a specific part of tho agreement." COUNCILLOR ATKINSON'S ATTITUDE . Councillor A. ]{. Atkinson, the remaining member of the council's sub-commit-tee, now gave his account of the matter:' "I shall not cover so wide a field as tho last speaker, Councillor M'Laren," he iclr.arked, "bocauso it seems to me that there is a sii>gle central point upon whi.-h negotiations broke down—not as to the merits of these words: 'at his own request'—but as to what was in the minds of the parties to the negotiations. Wo have been accused of being very silly because we did not get something in writing to proceed upon. The official copy of the draft agreement was in the custo.iy of Mr. Tait (assistant town clerk), and, I think, Councillor Shirtclilfe had a copy. Mr. Young, who acted as spokesman for their (the strikers') representatives, had a flimsy of a letter whicli presumably contained their demands. As he read out their demands our proposals were read as tho alternative. Mr. Young from time to time made alterations between the lines to show what were the variations between the two documents. I could not swear that Mr. Young did this with the paper containing the councils variation of 'clause one,' but it was passed round to his end of the tabic, ,-nd not. a single word of challenge was raided with regard to that paper. There is no question who was guilty of a breach of laith, or who was guilty of a misunderstanding.- After repeating his account cf the procedure adopted at the conference, Councillor .Atkinson asked: Was not one entitled, when a full discussion had taken place under Iheso circumstances, to asT IC , V l ?,* dt,le S at <« had full knowledge ot what the other party was offering? ' ARMED WITH FULL AUTHORITY. "Another point to bo noticed," ho continued, is that after the first sitting, which lasted for two hours, each party went to consult its constituents. Wh"n we met again tho representatives of tit* iiT e .Committco came armed with full authority to givo u? an answer on the points of the morning discussion. Is it possible that tho Strike Committee had not been informed of what its representatives had been asked to assent to in the morning? It was either absolutely incredible bungling on tho part of tho chairman and spokesman of the Strike Committee, Mr. Young, or it is something worse, and I think it is quito sufficient for us to. take tho more- favourable interpretation. Then when wo met again tho point was not raised at all. As to the final stage of tho negotiations, I, perhaps unfortunately, was not present: I maintain that the council had issued its ultimatum—gone as far as its dignity would allow, and perhans a little 'further. • Councillors sat hero hour after hour, doing nothing, waiting for something to turn up from the other side. It was a ea.se of 'Yes' or 'No,' and I feel perfectly' satisfied now that the council was on firm and solid ground. Whether it was an oversight or the result of after-thought, the mistake was on the part of the Strike Committee and its chairman, Mr. Young. I do not know how any negotiations could have tetter success that, were carried on in the same unbusinesslike manner. At the last moment, when a settlement had seemed certain,- this thing was sprung upon us. I am quite content to leave the public to judge now that our statements have been made." VISIT FROM THE STRIKERS, The Acting-Mayor now announced that some members of the Strike Committee were in attendance and desirous of meeting the council representatives, ho pre- , sinned to communicate the result of the previous night's meeting. Councillor Atkinson (disgustedly): I | think you had hotter get another committee.

Councillor M'Laren urged that tho deputation should be heard. He understood that thoy had Riven an assurance that tlicy would eomo to the council .and report.

Councillor Shirtcliffe said that the understanding had been that the strikers should decide and that tho council should decide.

Councillor M'Laren: I take it that, nothings to be gained by breaking off negotiations.

Councillor Fletcher submitted that as e matter of courtesy the deputation should be heard.

Councillor M'Kenzie suggested tbat the council, while its sub-committee received the strike deputation, should go into committee, and proceed with the business upon which it had been engaged before it went into open council.

Councillor Fuller said that he had every sympathy with tho men. At the same time ho thought that tho council should instruct its sub-committee to tell tho strike deputation that the council were going to stand firm.

This suggestion was not entertained and Councillor Fuller did not press id. The council went into committeo and tho subcommittee met the strike deputation.

MEETING BROKEN UP. COUNCILLOK HTNDMARSH'S WINNING WAY. When it had been sitting in committee for about half an hour the council broke up suddenly. Its sub-committee hid meantime interviewed tho strike deputation and gone back to its parent body. For some time previous to the breaking up of the council meeting sounds indicative of a loud and angry'utterance were heard proceeding from (lie meeting room. Even through a solid wall and closed doors tiic accents could bo recognised as those of Councillor ITindmarsh. His speech seemed to bo still in full swing when the doors were thrown open and councillors came pouring out. rresently Councillor llindmarsh emerged, declaring, in vehement tones, that the council had asked Fuller to resign and that anyone who said it had not was a liar.

In Hie. ante-room, addressing Councillor ShirtclilTe, Councillor irindmarsh said: "It did. Our own Tramways Committee did. and I moved tlie motion, but ,vou raid: 'Don't put it in writing.'" Councillor Shirtcliffe and others denied tli? accuracy of this statement, but Councillor llindmnrsh indignantly and insistently persisted in stating that the council'had asked Mr. Fuller to resign. PROPOSAL FROM STRIKE COMMITTEE. A NEW CLAUSE I. The official account given of the occurrence was that i councillors hn/1 refused to listen further to Councillor lfindmar«h and. rather than do so, had abandoned their meeting. Tt was further stated that the deputation from the Strike Committee had communicated to (he council the result of the previous night's mooting of th? traimvaymen and had also advanced a new proposal, as a basis of settlement. This was: "That Clause 1 of the draft agreement should bo deleted ami the resolution, of the council instructing the engineer regarding Inspector Fuller inserted in its stead." This, it was stated by the Town Clerk, was being considered by the council with wmie prospects of being accepted, when the regrettable incident above chronicled occurred. UNION'S LAST OFFER. STIIIKE MAY BE EXTENDED, ilr. W. T. Young, chairman of ths

Strike Committee, wag interviewed at 2.30 o'clock nn Saturday afternoon. He professed to regard the somewhat awkward position whioh bad arisen with the iitmn&t nonchalance. The Strike Committee, he stated, had mado its Inst oner. Unless the council come to terms on Monday (to-day) (here would be nothing tor it but to extrad (be Nil-ike. No action m tlii* direction would Iks taken until M-mdiiy.