Catenet Rejection Of Counter-Terms

Northern Advocate, 10 March 1948, Page 4

Catenet Rejection Of Counter-Terms

WELLINGTON, Wed. (P.A.)—The Cabinet has rejected the counterproposals of the national executive of the Federation of Labour to settle the carpenters’ dispute. This decision was reached after a meeting lasting less than an hour. The Prime Minister, (Mr Fraser) said last night that the Cabinet could not agree to the suggestion by the federation that a tribunal should be set up under the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations to decide the matters at issue. This informatics was passed on to the secretary of the federation. (Mr K. McL. Baxter) in a letter from Mr Fraser. MEETING TODAY Mr Baxter said last night that the federation had no comment to make at this stage. The Prime Minister’s letter would be considered at a further meeting' of tlie executive to be held in the Wellington Trades Hall today. The letter from the Prime Minister to Mr Baxter, after conveying the Cabinet's decision proceeded as follows: — "The position in regard to the Carpenters' Union's right of approach tc the Court of Arbitration has been very carefully examined, and it is quite clear that there is no legal obstacle in the way of such an approach, and that the- Carpenters Union is entitled to make a further application for an amendment of its award whenever it wishes to do so. “As the normal course is therefore open to the union, the Cabinet cannot agree to the setting up of a tribunal under the regulations to handle the dispute. EARLIER DECISION “Accordingly I would repeat the Cabinet's earlier decision as follows: — “That an assurance must be obtained from the Carpenters’ Union that the go-slow will be called off immediately and that the industrial law will be strictly observed in the future by the union. In the event of such an assurance being given that it will observe the industrial law. now, and in the future, no further summonses against the Carpenters' Union, or its members will be issued. The cases in which summonses have already been isued must. proceed. “If desired by the Carpenters' Union, the Government will then facilitate the making of a further application to the Court of Arbitration for an amendment of the union's award and or. a start of proceedings for a new award at the earliest possible moncnT.”