INDUSTRIAL TROUBLE

Grey River Argus, 22 February 1917, Page 2

INDUSTRIAL TROUBLE

\Z\ FREEZING HANDS STRIKE 'MEN RETURN TO WORK TO-DAY. (Per Pre_jß Association.) AUCKLAND. February ai. ' | Ilie strike of chamber hands in the employ, of the Auckland Fanners' b reezing Co. at the Westfield Freezing Works has been settled, and the men will resume work to-morrow morning. The hands named struck on Wednesday of last week, owing to their demands for higher wages not being accepted and efforts to settle the dispute by conciliatory methods were abortive until yesterday. In the meantime the works of both companies a& Southdown, Horotiuand Westfield had ,to be closed down throwing out of work over 200 employees other than chamber hands. ! At the instance of the Minister of Industries and Commerce the Board of Trade, members of which are at present in Auckland, negotiated with parties with a view ■" of endeavouring" to effect a settlement yesterday. As a result x of these negotiations the employers and the men signed an agreement to refer all matters in the dispute to the Labour Dispute Committee to be set up under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, IQI3, the Mayor, Mr Gunson. consenting to act as chairman. The parties agreed to accept the committee's decision on all points as binding and further agreed that the committee's decision shall be retrospective to the date when work is resumed. j The first meeting of the committee will be held to-morrow. '"*