INDUSTRIAL CONCILIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 27

INDUS TRIAL CO NC ILIATI ON.

TWO COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED. { (From Our Own Correspondent.) j WELLINGTON, January 13. ,' The appointment, of the Conciliation Commissioners is announced to-day. The appointments have been confened upon the following gentlemen :—: — Mr P. Hally, of Dunedin. Mr T. H. Giles, of Auckland. There ia some probability of the appointment of a third commissioner. i i ' ~ ' Mr Hally is a native of Dunedin, and j vras born in 1865. Educated at the Chrisj tjan Brothers' School, he was apprenticed to the bootmaking trade. From his earliest adult years he manifested a continued inj fcerest in industrial matters, and was a ] prominent member of the Bootmakers' Union long before the arbitration system waa enacted. Even after he commenced I busi«es3 on his own account in George 1 street he maintained that interest. In ! due oouwo he became president of {'no 1 Talk rises' Union, and it was in ad\oeat- ! ing their cause in the Arbitration Court rhar his qualities wero firof made manifest. j While not abating his determination to j seeuio for the tailoresscs belter conditions, ; j he yet prosecuted their case with such en- : dent fairness and consideration as Uj win i th-e respect of "his opponents. The conn- | dor.es >vhich was reoo-cd in him by the , I employers was manifested in a strikin? 1 way. Tho conditions of the Auckland . I tailoresse3 had for a long time been a j 1 thorn in the industrial side. The employers i were enabled to compete unfairly against ! others who paid higher wages, while the I condition of the workers was far from de- j . simble. In conjunction with Mr J. M. E. 1 i Garrow, who waa then the representative of j the combined employers, Mr Hallv v/as sent ' i to Auuk'and to bring- about a bet.-er state J of affairs — a mission in which the delegates ! j wen entirely successful. Mr flally has j al.vaya been a firm belio\er in the efficacy | of sortlirnr industrial disputes by concilia- j ! iory mptho.'s. Thi* opinion lie still holds. • nncl as h^ has Lad unique opportunities of testing h ; s b9h° c during hii official oxp^i-i-pr.ee. and f>-oiii t'.p number of rasrs '.il'ir' 1 i he has s"ttip;i without ref"ienr<3 '■ _, <'o court, as wA\ as tho~e which h;ivr> I'm heard br-f^-c it. rhat opinion is entitle! to ' respect. iaonio ypars ago ho contested tho ' Cuv or shaiii byo-eFection on the death of Mr A. Morrison, but was defeated by Mr T. K. Pidey. M.P., who has held th" seat ever <,'<nrc. For four years Mr Hally represented 3»I1 Ward in the City Council, and was .ilso appointed to tho Conciliation Board I as the representative of the workers. Five years airo he retired from business and 1 from all his offices to take a position as [ i inspector of awards in th« Labour Department, and on the promotion of Mr Lomas I two years ago to the chief inspectorship in the Labour Department. Mr Hally was 1 placed in charge of the Dunedin distnct — a , position he has held with credit ever since. . 1 It is not yet known whether Mr Hally's new appointment will necessiate a chanare '■ of residence, but seeing that he is po well known and respected in this industrial district, all parties concerned, whether om- \ ployers or employees, will consider it a distinct misfortune if it should be po. , He is embarking on a further expoiunent in ' indufetrial legislation — ona in which sagacity ' and fair-mindednoss are of rho first importance. — and hp does so enjoying the confidence of all concerned. Mr Giles is an elderly man, who for some , 15 years has been principal of the Giles I Commercial College. He has worked for j the party in power for sime time, and has

been prominent in the local Liberal and Labour Federation.