SERIOUS ASPECT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 304, 21 November 1936, Page 10

SERIOUS ASPECT

WOOL STORES HOLD-UP. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Nov. 21. Having received no intimation from Christchurch of the result of the conciliation proceedings, the men in the wool stores again declined work this morning. A few turned up but turned away promptly when tlie pickets informed them of the position. A serious aspect is that the Auckland wool sales are due next Saturday and a large number of clips have arrived and others are expected by Monday. Doubts exist ns to whether tlie men will turn up for overtime work tomorrow, but some of tho managers believe the men will come to work. If not. it means that a number of clips will not be reclassed. The general opinion is that the sale will be a good one, with firm prices, and that the growers should allow their clips to go under the hammer even if they are not reclaSsfid. CONCILIATION DELAYED. MINISTER STEPS IN. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 21. Word that tlie men in tlie Auckland wool stores had refused to work this morning caused a serious hold-up in the Conciliation Council proceedings in the dispute between the Storemen and Packers’ Federation and the proprietors of the Dominion wool and hide stores. Mr D. I. Macdonald, the employers’ agent, declared that as a result of tlie latest development the employers could not go on. Mr Macdonald criticised Mr AV. Miller, the federation secretary, for failing to communicate with the Auckland men, contending that if he had done so the trouble would not have arisen. Mr Miller declared that he had no authority to tell the men to Work. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) said that, in view of what had happened, Mr Miller should have communicated with the men in Auckland. If Mr Miller had done so he felt tlie men would not have stopped work while the council was sitting. At this stage Mr Miller agreed to put through an urgent telephone message to Auckland, and the council agreed to wait to hear developments. Mr Miller refused to make any comment on the dispute when seen after tlie council had adjourned for luncheon. He said the assessors on both sides of the table were still hopeful of reaching a settlement. Mr John Tucker, secretary of tlie AVellington Storemen and Packers’ Union, who has been advised by the Minister of Labour that Iris department intends to take action against him and his - union for an alleged breach of Section 109 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1925, also refused to comment. He said he felt that any comment on the proposed proceedings at the present juncture would be out of order and prejudicial to the case. Asked why the trouble should break out in Auckland and not in any other centre, Mr Tucker said it was possible tiiat because many of tlie men were casually employed in the Auckland stores they were “rolling stones” and mo-re volatile in their action. He felt sure it was contrary to tlie wishes of the majority of the union group. In other centres the employees were more settled and less likely to take matters into their own hands.