SOLUTION SUGGESTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17457, 29 April 1920, Page 5

SOLUTION SUGGESTED.

BUSINESS MEN TO ACT.

REPLY BY LOCO. BRANCH. MUST SEE MINISTER* "FIRST[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. The president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce Mr. M. Carr. interviewed the executive of the Enginedrivers. Firemen," and Cleaners' Association this evening, and made suggestions for a settlement of the strike. Re proposed that the locomotive men *hou]d agree to refer the dispute to a coJimittee of business men. perhaps three in'i.Uinber. These business men, who would IJeTselected by the men and the Railway Department acting together, would examine all the facts and make recommendations for a settlement, the 6trike to be called off in the meantime. Mr. Carr pointed out that sooner or later the dispute would reach the stage of conciliation, and that the sooner the better. A committee of the kir.d he was suggesting would not bind the men, bat he believed that it would devise a fair and safe basis of settlement Mr. Carr and other members of his chamber discussed the matter at some length with the locomotive executive. The discussion, he stated subsequently, had been thoroughly friendly in tone. The executive undertook to send Mr. Carr a reply during the night. _"__ "'_„. Mr. ■ McArley. secretary of the" Enginedrivers. Firemen and Cleaners' Association, stated later that the reply had been to the effect that the executive must meet the Minister for Railways. Mr. Massey, before it could call the strike off. "It is very necessary that we see Mr. Massey before negotiations of the kind suggested take place," he e said. " Many matters that have arisen since the strike was declared require to be discussed. Certain preliminaries have got to be arranged relating to superannuation, victimisation, and that sort- of thing. We appreciate very much the effort that the business men have made to bring about a settlement, and: -we have informed Mr. Carr that we shall be pleased if he will meet the Prime Minister and advise him to bring about a speedy settlement." The stoppage of the locomotive men in the North Island involves about .700 men, the total membership of the association being over 1300.