ARBITRATION COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 March 1925, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT.

RIVAL UNIONS

(.BY TELEGRAPH PREBS ASSOCIATION WELLINGTON, March 26

The unusual position of two union .secretaries opposing each other was seen in the Arbitration Court to-day, when the court was asked to convert the recommendations made by the Conciliation Cotiiicil in the sawmills dispute into aii award. Mr Mead represented the Wellington Timber Yards and Sawmills Union, and Mr F. Turley objected on behalf of the North Wellington Timber Lands and Sawmills Industrial Union of Workers. He said the body was duly registered as covering the whole of the territory outside the. 25 mile radius of of Wellington. This being so, no other union had the right to make an award or speak on behalf Tof the men outside the 25 : mile, radius, i. The court must recognise this union’s right to control the workers in that - district. There were 1000 men outside 'Wellington, and the Wellington union eave these men no opportunity to. control their own affairs.- They were not satisfied with the proposed award. He knew there had been a lot of opposition to the new union, both by the union and employers. They had the right to obieot: , Mr Mead said the Wellington union’s right to cover the whole district had never been questioned. The men had refused to join the union, and no union <oiild he expected to consult nonunionists. Tt was only after an honourable agreement had been arrived at that this new union wa* hurriedly formed. The court reserved its decision. ’