INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15055, 26 July 1912, Page 9

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES.

DISCUSSIONS IN COMMITTEE.

The contention that no information of committee proceedings connected with industrial disputes should bo made public was made by Mr. C. V. King during the preliminary stages ot the hearing of the grocers' dispute yesterday. Mr. King, who appeared before the Conciliation Council as secretary of the Grocers' Union of Employers, said that the employers wanted to know whether, if tho proceedings were taken in committee, any distorted accounts of them would appear. A "kind of report" of the last proceedings in committee had been published under a nom-de-plume; and if that was to be expected it would bo better to have reporters present. The employers were anxious that no committeo business should be divulged. Tho Conciliation Commissioner said that such reports were injudicious. What transpired in committee was privileged, and without prejudice, and should not bo reported. It was more satisfactory to hold tho discussions in committee, and to have information regarding them published was inimical to conciliation. The discussions were after all upon matters between the employer and the employed, and were not intended for the entertainment of the public. Mr. A. Bosser (secretary of tho employees' union) said he was in favour of tho press being represented. The representatives of both parties, however, agreed to leave it to the Commissioner to decide whether the council should go into committee or not, and he decided to hold the sitting privately.