Surprise To New Union

Northern Advocate, 20 May 1949, Page 3

Surprise To New Union

News of the carpenters’ decision to withdraw the injunction proceedings was dropped by the national president (Mr F. L. Langley) as delegates were picking up their papers at 5 o clock. The motion was served on the registrar on the afternoon of Thursday, May 5, and the case had been set down for hearing before Mr Justice Gresson at 10 a.m. today. Tbi3 last-minute decision, announced by Mr Langley, followed a decision by the federation in the morning, on the motion of Mr Langley, to take oyer the dispute with the aim of securing a settlement. In the meantime, carpenters who are not yet back at their jobs have been asked to resume normal work.

According to a spokesman for the federation, Mr Langley moved: “That the Auckland carpenters be requested to resume normal work and that the matter of their dispute be handed over to the Federation of Labour,- with a view to securing ah early and satisfactory settlement.’’ This had been carried unanimously, with applause. At the close of the day’s proceedings the conference suspended standing orders to enable Mi' Langley to make further reference to the dispute, added the spokesman. Mr Langley said the motion in the Wellington Supreme Court was being withdrawn.

His union had the assurance of the president of the federation (Mr A. W. Croskery) that the conference could now discuss and come to a decision on the proposed registration of the new union, as the withdrawal of the proceedings disposed of the problem of sub judice statements. The spokesman added that the national secretary of the Carpenters’ Union (Mr R. Stanley, of Auckland) had given an assurance that the proceedings were to be withdrawn and

that instructions had already gone out to this effect. “The moves made at the conference today have come as a complete surprise to us,” said a statement issued on behalf of the executive of the new union last night. "If the motion is withdrawn from the court we confidently expect registration.

“We are content to leave the matter in the hands of the Minister of Labour (Mr McLagan), who said early this month ‘that he had given his consent to registering our society, although no steps would be taken until the injunction had been heard.” The Minister had no comment to make when approached last night. Moderates Win

All four sitting members of the executive of the Federation of Labour were re-elected and all except one showed increased majorities. Representatives of some of the extreme unions recorded greatly-reduced votes. TLip voting was:—

The voting was: — SUCCESSFUL Votes 1949 1948 L. A. Hadley (Enginedrivers’ Union) 207 201 H. Thompson (Plumbers) 200 164 P. M. Butler (General Labourers) .. 198 129 W. A. Fox (Cooks and Stewards) .. .. 197 253 UNSUCCESSFUL J. Neale (Engineers’ Union) 115 . . - A. C. Melville (Drivers’ • Federation) .. 92 — P. A. Hansen (Tramway Employees) .. 79 06 T. Hill (Waterside Workers) . 60 ... R. S. Thomas (Printing Trades) Withdrew