ENGINEERS’ DISPUTE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 270, 29 October 1932, Page 8

ENGINEERS’ DISPUTE

CONCILIATION proceedings. MAJOR ISSUES OUTSTANDING. Wellington, Ocf. 28. When the engineers’ dispute reopened in the Conciliation Council today a lively discussion took place as to whether the conference should proceed without the presence of the moulders’ representatices, who had intimated their inability to be present on account of short notice. Eventually it was decided that the parties represented should do their best to arrive at an agreement and leave it open to the moulders to concur if they so desired. The commissioner (Mr Newton) pre sided. Mr Thurston (Canterbury), for the union, led the discussion, saying that any agreement should involve the three organisations concerned —engineers, moulders and boiler-makers. The commissioned said that any agreement arrived at would concern only those represented at the sitting. Mr Bishop: I want to say quite frankly that if those on the other side of the table are honest in their desire to bring about an agreement there is nothing to stop them. If they break off the meeting they are doing it deliberately and are not honest in their purpose. Mr Thurston: I object to that. We are just as honest as you. Mr Bishop: I don’t mean it offensively. It’s just as well to get down to brass tacks and understand one another. There is no legal bar to our going ahead to-day Mr Thurston said that the only question was whether they were prepared to go on without the moulders. The workers’ representatives retired to discuss the question. Upon their return Mr Thurston announced that they were prepared to proceed. The assessors proceeded to go through the proposals. Agreement was reached upon a number of .minor points, but the main issues were held over until when the conference resumes to-morrow.