LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13803, 14 January 1909, Page 6

LABOUR.

THE COXCILIATIOX COMMISSIONERS. Per Press Association. CHMSTCHUKCH, Jan. 13. Mr V. W. Hobbs, president of the Canterbury Employers Association, in an interview regarding the appointment of conciliation commissioners remarked that neither of the men appointed were known to him. Personally he believed that Mr P. Halley had a good reputation and was viewed favmrably by the people of Otago, as an iiisp"ctor of'awards. In respect to Mr T. Harle Giles, he Qlv Hobbs) had no information respecting his connection with industrial affairs. It seemed to liim and to members of his association

very necessary that men appointed as conciliation commissioners should be thoroughly conversant with industrial or manufacturing concerns. If, as he had been led to understand ,Mr Giles is somewhat of a political theorist, the appointment;would probably bring the position into disrepute very quickly, ivnowing, as they did that other capable and good men are available, tnc appointment of Mr Giles had caused a great deal of surprise to them. The. suggestion that conciliation commissioners should be appointed had emanated from the Canterbury Employers' Association, and in their , representations to the Government, they had strongly urged that very capable men should be appointed, or otherwise the commissioners would not realise what was expected from them. Their ruggestion was that the persons appointed should be of not lesser standing than a Stipendiary Magistrate, though they did not 'necessarily desire th:it 1. w; c-rs should be selected, the idea • that the persons appointed should bo in commercial or business circles of equal standing to a Magistrate, men with a good general knowledge of affairs, good level-headed men if possible,, Tvith actual experience of manufacturing or industrial methods.