DRIVERS' WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17335, 25 November 1916, Page 8

DRIVERS' WAGES.

BETTER PROSPECTS. PARTIES TO CONFER TOGETHER' ON TUESDAY. AT MINISTER'S INVITATION. [Peji Phess Association.] WELLINGTON, November 24. The following official statement waf issued by the Drivers' Federation late this afternoon:— " Representatives of the Drivers' 1 Federation met the Hon W. H. Herries, acting-Minister of Labour, this morning and tho Minister gave a definite assurance that ho would convene a compulsory conference of the contending parties in the drivers' dispute to be held at Wellington on Tuesday morniug. The Minister agreed also that tho matter must be treated on a . Dominion basis and that all offei"3 must bo made officially to the Drivers' Fed-' eration at Wellington. "In view of the assurances given by the 3linister the Drivers' Federation agreed to suspend hostilities until after the conference on Tuesday. "It has been alleged that an offer of 10 per cent increase on the minimum award rate has been made to thai local Drivers' Union. This is not' true, but an offer of 10 per cent was made to drivers in a local stable, and rejected. The action of the employers in endeavouring to get behind the respective unions is bitterly resented and is not'likely to furtlier conciliatory, measures. "The Drivers' Federation is very firm in its claim of £3 per week as a living wage for one-horso drivers. "In the meantime the Auckland and all other. Drivers' Unions will continue their work until further notice, " Mr Herries has agreed that in the. event of an agreement being reached on Tuesday it shall operate as from Monday morning." • ——--~~~—~■"■■—~—~-"■ ? SOME INAOOUKACTES. THE MINISTER EXPLAINS THE POSITION. [Per Press Association] WELLINGTON, November 24. i The following statement regarding certain inaccuracies in. an account furnished by representatives of the drivers of his interview with them, was made by the Minister of Labour (Hon W. H. Herries) to-night:— " I note that in a report appearing in the evening papers of the meeting t had with representatives of the Drivers' Union one or two mistakes occur, doubtless due to misunderstanding that, should be cleared. I was not in any way responsible for that report, nor was I aware that any report would be furnished to the newspapers, as I considered the whole interview as a confidential one.' " The conference is not a compulsory one, as the Government have no power to compel anyone. Employers assured me that if at any time the Government called a conference they would be glad to attend. I mentioned this to representatives of the union, so that T cannot understand term 'compulsory ' being used, "The expression, 'the matter must be treated on a Dominion basis' Tefera to attendance at the conference, which I intend to bo on a Dominion, basis, consisting of representatives of all who are affected by a Dominion award who care to be represented. The* term ' Dominion basis' does not refer to the agreement which may be arrived at, as I wish to leave the conference entirely unfettered, free to make any agreement it may think fit as long as the matter is settled. "With reference to the remark about offers coming through the union, that does not apply to offers to be made at the conference, which must be made, as usual, through the chairman. The expression in the report arises, I presume, from, an opinion which I expressed, and which I still hold, that all offers of bonus or increased pay which have been recently made would have been better made through officials of the union concerned than direct to-the men. My desire in calling the conference is to get employers and .men together to thrash, out their differences and arrive at an amicable solution of the question, which to me does not seem at all insoluhle provided both parties approacu jt in a spirit of give and take.