A DEADLOCK REACHED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3886, 4 September 1928, Page 7

A DEADLOCK REACHED.

CONCILIATION PROCEEDINGS. QUESTION OF GOING INTO COMMITTEE. WELLINGTON, August 28. The Conciliation Council proceedings of the Wellington operative butchers' dispute terminated suddenly to-day before the proposals for an award were discussed, a deadlock arising on the question whether the council should go into committee. After the names'of the parties had been read, Mr A. W. Croskery moved that the council should go into committee. Mr B. L. Hammond, representing the employers, said he must object. There was no reason why it should. Mr Croskery, however, persisted. Mr Hammond said: ‘‘We have no intention of taking part in any council that is in committee.” Mr. Croskery: You can shut up the council so far as we are concerned. Mr Hammond: .We do not propose to go into committee. Mr Croskery: Then that finishes it. If you throw the gauntlet down we will accept it. Mr P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner) said that, personally,' he would rather go into committee with the representatives. Mr Hammond said he wanted to take up a legal position that there was no power under the Act to enable the council to go into committee. Mr Hally: The Act has been stretched a bit to give the country people a chance. He did not think there would be much harm in going on now. Mr Croskery (to the commissioner): We are throwing the onus on you, and you know that we have gone into committee hundreds of times under your chairmanship. We are certainly not sitting in a council packed full of the other side, and with conversations going oa

with a whole lot of people who are not assessors. Mr Hammond said there were peculiar circumstances. Mr Coskery: You cannot put the responsibility on us. There are eight people here, ant we do not propose to allow conversations to go on among people who are not parties to the dispute. . Mr Hally suggested that in view of the tact that some men had come from the country, the proceedings might be continued. Mr Hammond: I want to appeal to the commonsense of the other side. This is probably going to result in a good deal of ill-feeling . between the parties. Mr Croskery is the only man 1 have any difficulty with on the question of procedure. Mr Croskery: I am not going to let that go without replying. The only difficulty he has with me is when I think he is trying to “ put one across me,” and he has to get up pretty early in the morning. to do that 1 will do what I think is fair and equitable. Air Hally: I do not know what the reason is, but whenever Mr Croskery and Mr Hammond meet it is a very difficult matter to come to an agreement. I do not know why. I expect that both are actuated by the very best of motives. Mr Hally suggested that the parties might talk the matter over, as he was reluctant to give a decision. The employers withdrew, and upon their return Air Hammond said that they were unanimous that the proceedings should be carried out in accordance with the Act and regulations. They were not prepared to go into committee. Air Croskery said that his men wished the proceedings to be in committee. Air Hally said he was very sorry that it devolved on him to express an opinion. Both sides were fairly well represented, and in the circumstances he thought it advisable that the council should go into committee with the agents. Air Hammond expressed regret at the nature of the decision. Air Croskery said he thought the commissioner had made a perfectly fair decision. Mr Hammond: I think it is finished. Air Hally suggested that' an adjournment might be taken till 2 p.m. Air Hammond: So far as I am concerned the decision is final. Air Hally: That concludes the business. I am sorry it has been terminated in such a manner. It is the first time in my experience that such a thing has happened. I will refer the matter to the court, and I dare say that his Honor will give some direction of procedure that should be adopted if it is needed in the future.