FURNITURE TRADE DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2550, 26 August 1915, Page 3

FURNITURE TRADE DISPUTE

(By Mbbwdli.—Prem iBBoolatlon.) Dunedh, August 25. TJie Conciliation Commissioner sat (his morning to hear tie furniture trade lispute. Mr. Moriarty (Wellington), one of the assessors for the union, spoko istrongly on. what lie.'characterised as a jbreach of faith hy the employers." He said an agreement had been reached in ■Wellington on ther understanding that it 1 would come, before the Arbitration • Court, in a formal manner for recognition as a Dominion award. The 'Workers had filed the agreement in toto, but Sir. Cousins', of , Auckland,, one of ■■. the Dominion assessors for the employera 'had repudiated it. Mr. Moriarty also alleged, that . Mr. Gren- : fell, ;agent for the employers, had been sent by tho association to get a bad " case struck out, and he accused the Labour Department of not administering its own laws. He had remarked on i thirteen breaches ofi.the agreement, and ' !iad written; Miy -Massey 'for' a ■ "square deal," and'the" only : espl4nation he had I received was one' .which lie; had charac- ' tcrised as/'evasive and • full of halftruths. • : ' - i •! Mr. Nees, one of the:assessors. for the employers, said the. employers had sacrificed a good deal to get a Dominion ■ award, bat there were'always some employers .who did not ; take, much interest m the efforts of the assessors, but who raised objections in Court.., Every man' who paid' his subscription to - the Employers' Association had right to the services of the agent or secretary at the ' Court. ' Mri "Moriarty, did an' injustice to Mr. Grenfell and Mr. ' Cousins, - who' probably were in the 'position of having to act against' their inclination. The agreement could only |be repudiated by special, .instructions from the Advisory Board; there were no such instructions from, the board, but the board could not control die objections, of outside firms, who could demand the •'services of the association officer in objecting. Mr. .. Cousins had worked entirely to : uphold the agreement. After further discussion the recommendations were signed for submission . to'the Court.