OYSTER DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 125, 20 February 1941, Page 10

OYSTER DISPUTE

Government Intervention Threatened OFFER BY MERCHANTS (By Telegraph—Press Association.! INVERCARGILL, February 19. A threat of Government intervention if both pttrties in the oyster dispute do not settle their differences immediately was contained in a telegram received by the merelianls today. The merchants sent messages tonight to the Prime Minister, Mr. eraser, and the Minister of Labour. Mr. Webb, stilting lhe terms on whicli they are willing that, an agreement should be concluded. A representative of the merchants stated that he had hopes of settlement being reached tomorrow. The merelianls received the telegram from the secretary of the Wholesale Fish Merchants’ Association, who is also a member of Ute Fisheries' Advisory Committee, to the Bureau of Industry. It stated Hint the Government instructed both parties to proceed with an agreement forthwith. Failing a settlement the Government would intervene in the dispute. A full meeting of merclmiits was held tonight to consider the telegram, ami it decided to inform the Ministers that they were agreeable to a renewal of the terms of employment fixed by the Industrial Court after the dispute in June last year. If the contract was rmtewed in its entirety the niereliants would be prepared to grant a cost-of-living bonus of 5 per cent., retrospective to August 12 lust year. They hoped that in these circumstances the Government would instruct the men to take the oyster boats to sea. It was stilted that the merelianls had been prepared to offer these terms since last. November.

Infornmiion was not available tonight ns to whether lhe men have received similar advice of the Government's intention to intervene if the dispute is not settled.