THE STRIKE CLOUD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 871, 24 November 1916, Page 11

THE STRIKE CLOUD.

GOVERNMENT STEPS IN. COMPULSORY CONFERENCE CALLED. Mr WVE. Woodham, secretary of the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council, received the following telegram to-day, from Mr H. Hunter, secretary of the Canterbury Drivers' Union, who is now in Wellington:— "Drivers' Federation have received an undertaking from the Hon. W. H. Herries that he will convene a compulsory conference of the contending parties in the drivers' dispute for Tuesday morning at Wellington. The Minister agrees that all offers from the employers should be made officially to the Drivers' Federation, Wellington, on a Dominion settlement basis." WATERSIDERS AND DRIVERS. CONSULTATION NEXT WEEK. Asked last evening what attitude the waterside workers would take in the event of a drivers' strike, Mr J. Flood said that in the present delicate state of the negotiations he preferred not to say anything, although he w T as clear in his own mind as to what the result would be. Representatives of the various waterside unions would meet in conference at Auckland next week, and the matter would be discussed there. It had been arranged that a deputation from the- drivers would wait on the conference to state their position. THE CONFERENCE. BASIS OF CONSIDERATION. Press A.snociation. WELLINGTON, November 24. The Drivers' Federation states that the Hon. W. H. Herries, Acting-Minister of Labour, has agreed to call a compulsory conference of employers' and men's representatives in the drivers' dispute for Tuesday, the matter to bo dealt with on a Dominion basis, and both sides to suspend hostilities in the meanwhile. Any agreement come to will operate from next Monday.