SITUATION ON THE WATERFRONT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2988, 27 January 1917, Page 10

SITUATION ON THE WATERFRONT

WORKERS' DEMANDS CONFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARTIES OFFICIAL REPORT ■" The following report of the proceedings at tho conference between representatives of employers of waterside labour and representatives of tho New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation commenced at the Accountants' Chamber.*;, Johnston Street, Wellington, on Thursday, is officially and jointly authorised: — "After the Waterside Federation representatives lyid presented their case the employers requested an ailjournment till the afternoon. When the conference resumed the employers intimated they could not take the responsibility of agreeing to increase wages or alter working conditions, and suggested that the Federation should take the necessary steps to have the matter referred to the Conciliation Council, and if necessary the Arbitration Court.

"This the representatives of the Waterside Workers' Federation could not see their way to agree 'to, and a further adjournment till 2.30 p.m. on Friday was decided upon to enable both parties to consider the position. Upon resuming on Friday afternoon the employers intimated that they had decided, if tho Federation could not seo its w-ay to agree to the suggestion already made, that the employers would take steps to have the matter dealt with under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and if tho Federation representatives agreed, then both parties should apply to the Court to appoint two expert assessors—one representing each side. "After a short adjournment the Federation representatives returned and stated that they could not see their way to agree to the matter b~eing dealt with by the Conciliation Council or Arbitration Court, The conference then concluded."