MR McLAGAN’S REPLY TO MR MULHOLLAND ON WATERFRONT DISPUTE

Grey River Argus, 12 March 1947, Page 5

MR McLAGAN’S REPLY TO MR MULHOLLAND ON WATERFRONT DISPUTE

P.A. WELLINGTON, March 11. “Absolutely untrue”, commented the Minister of Labour, Hon. A. MeLagan, to-day, on the statement made recently by Mr W. W. Mulholland to the Dominion Council of the Federated Farmers with reference to the waterfront dispute. The Minister was referring specifically to Mr Mulholland’s statement that “one of _ the sinister incidents was that the judicial head of the Commission (Mr Justice Ongley) was instructed on the decision he should give, but, fortunately, he resigned rather than do that”. Mr McLagan oaid that ’the late Chairman of the Waterfront Commission was never instructed as to the decision to be given in the waterfront dispute. After the parties failed to reach agreement, the Chairman expressed the desire to be relieved of all further responsibility in connection with the Commission. The dispute was then taken up' by the Government, and a settlement eventually was reached. “As- it was known by the Government, jirior to that agreement being made, that the Chairman of the Commmission was resigning, it would have been ludicrous for the Government to have asked him to give any decision whatsoever in connection with the dispute”, he said. “There was not the slightest reason for any fair-minded person to believe that the late Chairman was ever asked to announce the agreement as his* decision’.’

Mr McLagan said Mr Mulholland’s remarks about the Wanganella dispute were equally irresponsible. No pistol had been put at the Government’s head.