LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14930, 1 March 1912, Page 8

LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

STRIKE PUT OFF A WHILE, ■' ~ MASS MEETING ON SUNDAY "< * "■■'.*' :^/f/il The latest development in connection wifK tue labour deadlock in Auckland is that ' ' negotiations have been suspended for day or two, and that as far as can £. , learned no action is likely to bo taken ' until Sunday at the earliest. Apparent having exhausted their resources, the Pr £ sident, vice-president, and secretary of th« New Zealand Federation of Labour have ■ ' left Auckland, the vice-president (Mr W Parry) for his home at Waihi, and the, president and the secretary or Welling ten. The- two latter intend to return on ' : ''' Sunday morning. The federation now has ' charge of the negotiations on behalf fW the Labourers' Union, and it appears probable that the officials, after failing to" ' effect their object in seeking a conference *' have returned to Wellington to make up their minds upon the question of a strike A mass meeting of workers will be held' ' at the Grey statue on Sunday afternoon ' to explain to the citizens the attitude of • the union and their feeling in regard to the position the local bodies have adopted. • There _ is little doubt that preparations ' were in tram for a strike this week, but T it is understood that Iho union had no wish to act in such a way that it m>ht afterwards be charged with not giving the ■ City Council a further chance to meet its - ' request, at its meeting last night. More ■ than that, it is believed that the mass meethg or. Sunday lias been arranged S ' principally that the union and federation - officials may judge the degree to which they possess the sympathy of the public;''; ' CITY COUNCIL'S EMPLOYEES. A SATISFACTORY OUTLOOK, - The questions under discussion as be«, :.. tween the City Council and its employees' regarding working conditions are in a'fair ' ■ way of settlement, .The indications are that if the Council and its men are ktfc free to confer to the point of finality, im. provements satisfactory to both sides are ' ' more than likely to bo agreed upon. At present negotiations a.re being carried on by th© Works Committee on behalf of the Council, and that committee will bring up a report at next Thursday night's/;', meeting of the full body. A report prepared by the city engineer, concerning the working conditions of the • Council's men and 'making certain recom- . mendations was before the Works Commit tea at its meeting yesterday " afternoon. Owing to the' pressure of other . ' business, however,' this was not fully dealt with, and further consideration of the . whole matter was adjourned until this afternoon. ' ' '■; ; A Suggested Conference. l At the conclusion of the special meeting of the- City Council last night, held to consider proposed amendments to the water by-laws, Mr. P. M. Mackay asked the Council to meet the delegatea of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, so that the federation may state its views on the present industrial unrest. The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) interrupted J Mr. Mackay, pointing out that he was out of order. The meeting was called only . to discuss the water by-laws. Mr. Mackay had better givo notice to move a resolution at the next ordinary meeting of the : Council. ' Mr. Mackay: I can't. I am merely . bringing th« matter forward,now so that no avenue of conciliation • shall be f closed: m | against;; a : settlement- of '. the . present trouble. I thJik it would bo a mere act of courtesy to meet "the delegates of the i federation aud hear their views. * ' . The Mayor: I need hardly point out to' Mr. Mackay that he is out of order. This . meeting was; called for one purpose, and ; one purpose only. His proper course is to>:bring the matter up at the next meeting of the Council. I might point • out, however, that when Mr. Mackay, suggests that : the Council is closing an avenue -to S conciliation he is mistaken. The Council has not don>s this, but has only adopted the ' same attitude •as the other local bodies.. We are meeting our men direct. We are now engaged on the question, and with every chance of settlement. The interposi- ; tion of a third party at this stage would' lead to no good. An Exhaustive Report. " •-, ■'■■' \-" ■ Continuing, the Mayor said that at the meeting of the Works . Committee that i afternoon a very.' exhaustive . report had ; been submitted by the city engineer as to ,/ the conditions under, which the' Council's men were working. ■ The committee had spent a great portion of the afternoon upon .- it, and was to meet again on the next afternoon. There were, lie added, in the engineer's report recommendations which, '/ broadly speaking, provided for improve-3|/ ments in the conditions of the men, and he apprehended thai these would give every > satisfaction when they were made public. '/ There was no reason, Mr/ Parr thought, ~ why the committee's report upon these re- .t, commendations should not be ready for the next meeting of the Council on Thursday., Conference With Council Employees. The Mayor went on to say ■ that there 5//; were 500 men in the Council's service . spread over a very wide field. Many of these men wero working under different > ■ awards, and it was necessary to confer , with them. That evening he had conferred . " with five men working under a certain award, and the interview was very satisfactory. The information obtained would be very useful to the Council. . - "We are getting en very well," said .:■•.: Mr. Parr, " and I think that for Mr. Mackay to suggest we should allow the inter- ' position 01 any outside men—" Mr. Mackay (rising): You are misrepre-i senting me. .■,.-._ • "', The Mayor: Sit down, sir. Mr. Mackay (resuming his seat): Yon are misrepresenting me. The Mayor: I say that to allow the interposition of a third party would be illadvised. The meeting is now closed.