MEETING OF COUNCIL,

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1912, Page 8

MEETING OF COUNCIL,

EFFORTS AT MEDIATION. SIR- JOSEPH WARD IN ATTENDANCE. ' A UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT. The City Council met to-day shortly 11 a.m. to consider the position. Before the meeting took place the IPrirne Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) ,araived^ and he was engaged in conference in committee for about an hour with the members of the council. At 11.40 a.m. ho emerged from the Council Chamber and motored to the Trades Council Chambers, where he had a' conference with the Strike Committee. While he^was upstairs a great crowd of people gathered, and as he came ou± of the building shortly after 12.20 p.m. he received a hearty greeting. He motored straight back to the Town Hall. lAtt anxious individual walked up to the car and said, " Fix it up." "It will be fixed up all right," /Sir Joseph smilingly Replied. When he reached the Town Hall, Sir JqlepJl went straight into the Council Chamber, where the members were still Kitting in committee. A few minutes Jater four members of the Strike Committee arrived at the Town Hall, and they were accommodated in the Mayor's room, pending the council's determination. In due course the members of the Bub-committee of the Strike Committee ■met a srib-committee of the" council with. Sir Joseph Ward in attendance, and just before 1 p.m. all the members of the council and the other parties interested filed out of the rooms. "What's the result?" a piess representative asked. "It's all over," a councillor quickly responded. Sir Joseph Ward walked downstairs, accompanied by the members of the Strike Committee, the councillors, and a liumbe.r of officials As he reached the Town .Hall steps he was -greeted with hearty cheers and the hundreds of people assembled pressed closer to hear what -'she had io announce. SATISFACTORY SETTLEMENT. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. "I am very pleased to announce," eaid Sir Joseph, "that this unfortunate strike which lias existed for 6ome days as between the tramway men and the City Council has been settled satisfactorily to both side*. (Cheers.) The terms and conditions- on which that settlement has been arrived afc will be announced by those responsible to the men and not by me at" a meeting to bo held on The King's Theatre at 3 p.m." He added that as a result of reason and without loss of prestige or dignity to either side, this settlement had been achieved. The representatives ol ,the union had done their duty and the terms of the agreement, arrived afc unanimously, must be satisfactory to the orgAiiiwition that these men represented. As already stated the terms of the settlement would be placed before the men at 3 o'clock, and he believed that the meeting to endorse them would be purely a formal one, inasmuch as the details had been unanimously agreed to, and without friction or trouble. Ho hoped that any differences which had arisen during the dispute would be entirely forgotten, and lie felt perfectly sure that the corporation would allow nothing untoward to occur to the men who had been involved in the trouble. (Applause.) He congratulated one and all on the ending of the difficulty. Sir Joseph Ward was given three «heers, and. at the call of a man iv tho crowd, _ three cheers were given for "organised labour." THE TERMS. INSPECTOR FULLER'S POSITION. The agreement arrived at hy the Strike Conference^ and referred to' by Sir Joseph Ward, was read to the press by the Town Clerk as follows :— ■Wellington, Sth February, 1912. Tramway Dispute. As the result of tlie conference between the delegates appointed by the • City Council and the delegates appointed by the Tramways Strike Committee, ifc hus be»n mutually agreed as hereunder : (1) That the removal of Inspector Fuller to some other position in the tramway service, as originally requested by the Tramway Union, and now desired by the officer himself, be carried out. (2) That it be an instruction to the Electrical Engineer on tho settlement of the dispute to have Inspector Fuller placed in a position where he will not have any dealings witsi the mombers of the Tramways Union. , (3) That th& council guarantee that on resumption of work the men Involved in this trouble shall not be subject to victimisation, but shall be reinstated in their employment without lose of etaJUB,

Signed on behalf of the conference byJOHN SMITH. G. SHBRTCLIFFE. ■ D. M'LAREN. 4 B. FLETCHER. . A. R. ATKINSON. , (Representing the City Council.) W. T. YOUNG. P. H. HICKEY. M. J. REARDON. D. DALTON. (Representing the Strike Committee.) Witness to the signatures of -both parties — J. G. WARD. SOME INCIDENTS. AWAITING THE SETTLEMENT. As early as 10.15 to-day several councillors had arrived at the Town Half in preparation for the meeting of the council. Th« Acting-Mayor (Councillor J. Smith) was closeted with the Town Clerk (Mr. J. R. Palmer) for a considerable period. Then a whisper flew round the corridors that the Prime Minister had approached the council voluntarily, with the idea of his mediating between the parties. He was due at 10.40, but his motor did not arrive until shortly before 11 o'clock, when the Prime Minister immediately went into conference with the I City Council. It was known that a councillor had drafted a new proposal in the chape of a motion which seemed to meet both sides, at the same time providing for Hhe removal of Inspector Fuller to a position where he would not come ittt,o contact with any member of the Tramways Union. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. P. .Hally) and Mr. E. Tregear, formerly secretary of the Labour Department 1 , were included in the small congregation assembled in the corridor adjacent to the Council Chamber. Nothing transferred immediately as to what occurred in the conference between the Prime Minister and the council which was, nccessarilv, held in committee. Shortly after 11.40 Sir Joseph Ward left the council, returned to his motor, and, carrying the latest terms, ■was driven across to the Trades Hall, where the members of the Strike Committee were assembled upstairs. It was now approaching noon— the time when the Strike Committee had decided "to call out tha general body of workers if the council did not efiect an agreement satisfactory to the Tramway Union. In a few moments the crowd increased until there must have been a couple of hundred people gazing up at Hhe Trades Hall. The talk, what there was of it, was as to what would happen on the stroke of noon. In the Council Chambers of- tho Town Hall, there was a feeling of optimism in the atmosphere. Perhaps the councillors knew something. Noon came and passed, and wharflabourers on their way up to dinner were not suffered to pass without question. Of course they knew nothing — hou% could they? Upstairs in the Trades Hall blinds were drawn, but now and again the crowd looked enquiringly as a speaker was cheered. "That's a good omen," hazarded an onlooker. "Don't forget it !" declared a brownskinned man in h. working shirt (and extras). "I'm afraid you don't kno\y these people. The union's solid." Meanwhile the silence in the Trades Hall continued to be punctuated by cheers. A man who knew what he was talking About whispered that the men afc the destructor, the power-house, the wharf labourers, tho seamen, and the engineers, were only awaiting the signal that would scud the economic conditions of the Dominion sideways — so it was threatened. In the meantime the crowd Waited. As the Prime Minister drove away on his return to the City Council, he was accompanied by loud cheering. Sir Joseph's face, at this time, wore a cheerful, almost optimistic, look. A well-known Labour ' envoy had a not cheerfnl theory to propound, and he was joined in this by a tramway man — also a well-known figure: "The men are a block. It's Saturday's proposal or nothing. The Strike Committee has decided absolutely to stand to its guns, and will concede nothing further. Did you hear them cheering? Well, they've decided to delay the notice to call out the men for an hour, but it's Saturday's proposal or nothing." Of course, this turned out to be agreeably disappointing. Quietly the Strike Committee's representatives slipped away from the Trades Hall, and followed the Prime Minister to the Council Chambers. With its usual foresight, the crowd, now considerably increased, swung down Lower Cuba-street and arranged itself immediately opposite tho Town Hall steps. When the settlement of the strike was announced there was a very hearty outburst of cheering. IN THE SQUARE. In tne interval of suspense between noon and one o'clock a mass meeting took place at the Post Office Square. About a thousand people were present, the greater bulk of the crowd, having drifted up to Cuba-street by the Town Hall and the Trades Hall. The- speakers at the meeting were Messrs. G. Farland (secretary of the Waterside Workers' Union), R. Ross (editor of the Maoriland Worker), and R. Semple (organiser of the New Zealand Federation of Labour). Mr. Farland dwelt chiefly on the question of the solidarity of labour as exemplified and demonstrated in the present dispute. Mr. Ross submitted that reason and logic were on the side of the tramway men. Mr. Seinple's address was similar to that delivered at the Basin Reserve yesterday. He madg a violent attjack. <>n-

ihe press, which, he alleged, was always on the side of the master class, and finally stated that the .message he was called on to deliver was that Labour would make common cause with the tramway men, and would, if needs be, stop the wheels of industry. ACTING-MAYOR'S OPINION. "EMINENTLY SATISFACTORY." Tho Acting-Mayor (Councillor J. Smitti), when asked by a Post reporterthis afternoon for his opinion of the settlement, said there was really nothing more to add. The terms of settlement spoke for themselves. He was pleased, however, at the happy outcome of the unfortunate deadlock. He thought that under the circumstances the settlement waa eminently satisfactory and would meet with the approval of citizens. It had been a very trying time to all the ' councillors, but they were now glad it i had all been settled, and bygones would | be bygones. Other councillors expressed equal satisfaction with the result. They were congratulatory in their opinions of the agreement which was drafted as to the essential clauses by Councillor Atkinson. It had been a strenuous time for them. Many had sacrificed a good deal in regard to their time by constant attendance in conference. They were glad it was over and that the trame would be running to-morrow.. Mr. Young, chairman of the StrikeCommittee, declined to express an opinion on the settlement. TRAMWAYMEN SATISFIED. Though at this stage no report is available of the proceedings at tho King's Theatre, where the Strike Committee is putting the terms of settlement before the members of the union, the feeling of tramwaymen generally is one of satisfaction with the result. Ifc eeems quite clear the settlement will be adopted. The men expressed their entire willingness to turn to at once and ] get ready the system for traffic > tomorrow morning. The rails, filled with dust during .the five and a half days' desuetude, required to be cleaned, and the cars have to be overhauled and prepared for -running to-morrow., There is a night's work before the carshed and permanent way men. TRAMWAY REORGANISATION. It is understood that a certain councillor has expressed his intention to give notic* ol motion on the question of reorganising the tramway management. The question was put point blank to tho Town Clerk this afternoon. Mr. Palmer replied ftisA, there was nothing yet that could be given to"' the press on the matter. TRAFFIC SUPERINTENDENT. The Tramways Committee is meeting this afternon to consider the applications for* the position of traffic superintendent. The applicant® themselves have been invited t<> be present. It is understood that the number, so far as the council is now concerned, has been reduced to three. CONCERNING HIS ABSENCE. In respect to Councillor M'Laren"s absence from the earlier part of the council's meeting on Saturday, and the observations made in relation thereto by two councillors, Mr. M'Laren to-day informed- a Post reporter that he had consulted the Acting-Mayor before he left tho chamber in the morning, and explained definitely that he' was going to the Trades Hall. , The Acting-Mayor and other councillors knew that he was at the Trades Hall in connection with the dispute, because he wjis afterwards "rung up" there at the instigation of the council. Councillor M'Laren added that he was in the Town Hall Buildings before the meeting commenced, an.l left only with the object of facilitating proposals for a settlement. CITIZENS' LEAGUE A meeting is being held this afternoon of the CitizenF.' Px-otection League in order to consider what action should bo i taken to make more emphatic the interests of the people in regard to tramway and other affairs in so far as Labour is concerned. It is expected that one result of the meeting will be the calling of a large public meeting, when the '^ague's policy will be submitted to the citizens.

Large areas in North Otago and South Canterbury are about to be planted with fruit. One Otekaike settler, who formerly grew fruit in Central Otago, has placed an order for 800 trees, mostly apples. His opinion is that the district immediately south of tne Waitaki River is extremely suitable for commercial fruit-growing. Many Waimate and Waikakahi settlers are giving ordVrs for fruit trees. Wairarap shippers of cheese complain of the indifference of the Railway Department to the necessity of making efficient prov&ion for the carriage of this product. The Wairarapa, in dairy matters, is essentially a cheese-making district, and many ( thousands of pounds worth of cheese is sent by rail to outside markets every year. A Carterton shipper of cheese complained to a News reporter on Friday, and asked him to go to the station and see for himself the kind of trucks used and the conditions under which cheese was railed. The reporter found that the trucks were opea ones, having recently been used to convey people to a race meeting. They were beiiig loaded alongside the sheep yards, which appears to be the only convenient place for the^ purpose, being out of the way of shunting and other operations of the railway yard. A westerly wind would blow the duut and manure from the sheep yards right into the cheese vans. The hot 6un was pouring down on to the cheese, and alongside was a truck of reeking green hides. The dairy industry is' not a mere side line of farm work (lemarks the News). It is rapidly growing into tho mosl important industry in the Dominion, supporting thousands of its people and adding to the prosperity of the whole community. The Railway Department appears to treat it, as far^ as cheese is concerned, as of no more importance than, say, the firewood trade. The Rev. Matthew Gardner, D.D., who is visiting the Dominion on kick leave, and is at present ctaying with his brother, Mr. Robert Gardner, Ter-race-end, Palmerston North, is one of the best known ministers of the Established. Church of Scotland. His great church, known as the Hyndlande Parish Church, Glasgow, is attended mainly by merchant princes of the Northern city, professors, and professional men. "This j season has been the most atrocious one for flowers that I have ever seen. It is a wonder to see any flowers here at all in the way of roses and carnations," said a nurseryman to a Star reporter at the Dunedln Horticultural Show. "It is really between the season for roses, and tho almost daily rain for the last three months haa turned most carnation plants unhealthy and sick. This ought to be a carnation show, but the majority of our growers ' «ay that their blooms will not be open for another fortnight." As showing the lateness of the 6eason in Dunedin, the nurserjitkan pointed t<> the tact that the AiickJand carnations were shown in November, and the .Wellington Show -ffiMLki December.