ENGINEERS’ DISPUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8784, 14 July 1914, Page 8

ENGINEERS’ DISPUTE

NO AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. The engineers’ dispute was before the Conciliation Council yesterday morning. Mr P. Hally (Commissioner) presided. Messrs H. Scroggs, J. H. Taylor, and J. W. Watson were assessors for the men, and Messrs W. Cable, E. Crabtree, and D. Robertson for the employers. Mr H. F. Alien appeared for the Ironfounders’ Association, Mr W. A. Grenfell for certain employers, and Mr R. Ellison as agent for the men. At an informal meeting between employers and employees some weeks ago, the employers’ representatives questioned the bona fides of the men’s representatives. Before any business could be gone on with they demanded to know what firms employed the men’s delegates. This information was at the time refused. At yesterday’s meeting Mr Cable again made the inquiry, but the Commissioner said that it ivas entirely unnecessary to discuss the question. It did not matter to him who the men’s assessors were as long as the men, were satisfied with them. Air Hally also said that he would strike out the names of any parties to the award whom, he did not think were substantially carrying on business as engineers. If his decision were not agreed to, the matter could be taken to the Arbitration Court. On the whole, the employers’ representatives were against any fresh concessions being made to the men. Trade, they said, was in a bad way, and the industry coulcl not s.and T, The meeting was adjourned indefinitely, without any agreement having been arrived at.