METAL WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 141, 16 June 1924, Page 8

METAL WORKERS

BEFORE CONCILIATION COUNCIL

DISPUTE REFERRED TO COURT.

The last of the engineering trades disputes cited under the Dominion proposals of the Ironmasters' Federation came before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) this morning. In each of the other disputes in the same trade the parties did not get past the hours clause, and the disputes were referred to the Arbitration Court. This morning's proceedings covered the metalworkers' assistants.

■ In qpening, Mr. Murray (unions) objected strongly to Wellington district being included in this dispute, on the ground that the local conditions were quite different to those in other centres and should be dealt with in a district award.

A point was then raised that the employers had no assessor from Otago. The Commissioner pointed dut that that was-a matter for the employers. They could appoint their assessors as they saw fit:

Mr. Bishop (employers) said the employers ' contended that the- conditions differed insufficiently to warrant the dropping of the dispute in its present form. They were going to try and get a Dominion award, but if the unions could raise sufficient evidence against it the Court might refuse the Dominion award. The matter was not one that the council could come to an agreement on.

Mr. Newton said the matter could go no further apparently. It was a pity that the assessors had come so far to say so little. It could have, been Arranged that the assessors did not attend.

Mr. Evans (Otago Union) %aid he had expected advice in that direction.

Mr. Newton said he had been unable to get unanimity on the question in Wellington, and had been unable to adviso assessors not to attend.

Mr. Murray said he had been unable to take the responsibility, especially co far as Canterbury and Otago were concerned. He suggested to Mr. Bishop that they should drop the three-district dispute and allow the local disputes to go on. They had managed previously to reach district agreements on all but one small point.

The employers' agent indicated that he could not consider the suggestion. If they got the three-district award they might apply to have Auckland included.

Mr. Murray: "You won't get it as far as Wellington, let alone Auckland."

Mr. Bishop: "Perhaps the wish 13 father to the thought."

Mr. Murray: "It may be a shortlived one if you get it; if we get this election forced on Mr. Massey we will get fair play then."

The assessors then considered the parties, and the dispute was referred to the Court for interpretation on legal points.