SEEKING A SETTLEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17461, 4 May 1920, Page 6

SEEKING A SETTLEMENT

AGREEMENT WITH A.S.R.S.

SCOPE OF THE COMMITTEE. WIDE ORDER OF REFERENCE. s [BT TCLEGBAIH.—OWX CORBESrOSDEST.J WELLINGTON. Monday. The terms of between the Government on the we hand and'- the Amalgamated Society cf Railway Servant. v> and the Railway Officers' Institute on the ' ki 1 • otherihave practically been made public $4 '" already. The documents signed at the con- . clusion 3l the conference with the Prime Minister have never beea made available " for publication, but the agreement in each case is a very short one, oonsisting of only P','i some foil or, fire clause*. " All ; that it pro- ?'■£- -rides for is that the. dispute be referred "•;?.- to a committed as provided for tinder the s ,' labour • Disputes Investigation Act 'Ibrte are to be three representatives of the y■■ fociiy, in each case and three representaW tives of the Government. The ■ chairman w ' - is to Ae agreed, upon, and the chairman will have no vote on iusy points except <-'•'• those of procedure. *%' This committee -will make recommends.lions for the settlement of the dispute, but these recommendations are not to, be binding either on the unions or the Government. The Act makes provision for a :■] definite of procedure in the event of the attempt of the committee to reach a ; settlement being imsucoessful.- The Registrar has to take a ballot on the qmation of -whether a strike is to take place or nit. K; There is no such provision '.in ; the agreement with the railwaymen. •••<" Vf-.**-. : sffilaere: is also a clause in the agreement which is in effect an understanding by the Minister that there will be no victimisation on account of what happened in the strike. The order of reference is a» wide as ft '■■■. can be made. The president of the Amal- •■ gamated Society of Railway Servants s-iJd that although 'the clause had not. been drawn up by the society he could not have I framed a clause making i the reference wider. There is a, stipulation that tne committees are to be set -up within seven days, so that they must be set up at once.

The chairman »nd secretary of the Auckland branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants write in reference to a report of a meeting of the branch, published on Saturday, denying that any of tho speakers urged members to disregard the telegram from the executive.