THE PREMIER RUNS AN ERRAND.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1356, 6 February 1912, Page 5

THE PREMIER RUNS AN ERRAND.

HIS PART IN THE SETTLEMENT.

The very newest factor in the striko situation yesterday was Sir Joseph Ward, and - liis entry aroused rather more interest than the threat of a general strike, visibly the Prime- Minister journeyed to (lie Town Hall in a motor-car, and thi'iicc, with intervening delays, to tlio Trades Hall and back again. Natural curiosity was felt as to what happened at cither building, behind closed doors, during his visits, hi the absence of information, opinion was divided. In the crowds who stood about waiting to hear.tho announcement of peace, or of a greater war, them were some citizens who opined that "Joo - would settle it." Others wanted to know "what lie had to do irith it anyway." Some of the facts concerning Sir Joseph Ward s activities of the day were, obtained from .a reliable source. H does not appear Hint ho was invited bv either party to intervene. He declines himself to say whether ho was invited or not. In any event, ho was not iiivifod"by the. council At an early hour in the forenoon, the Prime Minister, or someone else on his behalf, rang up to say (hat lie would bo Kind to uir-et the- council. Tho moating followed, inid Sir Joseph Ward proposed n basis of selflemnut which was decisively rejected b) the council. The form of Ihn much discussed Clause 1, as it now stands in tho agreement, was proposed by Councillor Atkinson and unanimously approved by the council. The completed agreement was also unanimously approved. When the document had been drawn up, the Prime Minister volunteered to convey it to the Strike Committee and lay it before them. He did so, with the result that he was soon able to announce, from tho steps of the Town Hall, that the dispute had been settled and the striko terminated.

The Prime Minister was asked, over the telephone, Inst evening whether he had been requested by either party to net as mediator, Ho declined to answer the question, staling that ho had already refused to l>3 interviewed on the subject, nnd adding that, for one thing;, ho could not speak about it without committing a breach of confidence by disclosing whnt had taken place at private meetings. From this it appears that Sir Joseph Ward's effective part in yesterday's negotiations, so far as Hie City Comicil is concerned, consisted in discharging Iho useful office of mpssenscr. ■