DISPUTE AT MANURE WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 23649, 26 October 1938, Page 11

DISPUTE AT MANURE WORKS

NO ANNOUNCEMENT MADE (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 25. No further developments have occurred in the trouble which developed last week when the manure workers employed at the fertilizer works at Otahuhu and Papatoetoe ceased work for a day because they objected to the terms of the new award issued by the Court of Arbitration. At the time the employers stated they were not concerned in the dispute. As parties to the award they were prepared to abide by it. Subsequently the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) announced that he had no power to vary the award and he suggested that if it contained anomalies that were admitted by employers and employees there was always a possibility of the parties coming together for the purpose of straightening out the difficulties. He .added that he was in touch with the employers to see if it were possible to come to some agreement. It is known that Mr W. Slaughter, officer-in-charge of the Labour Department in Auckland, consulted with the managers of the works concerned on Thursday. His report on the conference was forwarded to the Minister. In the meantime no further announcement has been made.