WAR REGULATIONS INVOKED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21530, 18 December 1939, Page 11

WAR REGULATIONS INVOKED

FREEZING WORKS DISPUTE By Telegraph —Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, December 16. The War Regulations have been invoked by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P.C. Webb) in the Belfast freezing works dispute, which will now come before the National Disputes Committee. Mr Webb said this morning that he | had communicated with the Undersecretary of Labour (Mr H. E. Moston) and had given instructions for him to proceed with the setting up of the disputes committee forthwith. Mr Moston would meet both the employers’ and workers’ organisations to discuss the personnel of the committee, which would meet in Christchurch at the earliest possible moment. The Minister added that he was very disappointed at the attitude taken by the company. In a strenuous. endeavour to settle the dispute, Mr Webb, who had been hearing deputations in Dunedin up to 2 p.m. yesterday, came through to Christchurch, arriving at 10.45 last evening. He then presided at a private conference of representatives of the company concerned, Thomas Borthwick and Sons (Australasia), Ltd., which opened at 11 p.m. and concluded without agreement at two o’clock this morning.