TRAMWAY STRIKE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 10 May 1932, Page 5

TRAMWAY STRIKE

ATTEMPT AT SETTLEMENT. BBICK THROWN AT TEAM. CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. The tramway strike is still not settled, in spite of a long and earnest consultation and deliberations. The negotiations between the board and the ■union were resumed at three o’clock this afternoon, the Mayor (Mr D. Sullivan), Bishop West-Watson, Bishop Brodie, the Deputy-Mayor (the Bev. J. K. Archer), and Mr J. Roberts (secretary of the New Zealand Alliance of Labour) acting as mediators. Bot i sides seemed to realise the urgent necessity for settling the strike, and the mediators worked strenuously to prepare some formula which would be acceptable to all. Shortly before, midnight, the conference was still nl session, and it then appeared almost certain that both parties would compromise on the appointment of a tribunal, either privately or under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act. The chio. obstacle to a final settlement is still the board’s to retain in employment those of its new employees who prove suitable. These now number 110, although none have been engaged since Saturday. The President of the Alliance10f Labour (Mr A. Cook) and. Mr, H. T. Armstrong, M.P., botli attended on the union’s behalf. . Whether,the strike is settled or not, the board expects to resume the running of .a night service on Wednesday. A piece of brick thrown at the last tram from St. Martin’s this evening went .through the windows on either side of the car, knocking off the hat of Mr W. Stewart, Commissioner of Crown Lands, in its flight, and scattering glass all over the interior. Flying glass struck the face of Nurse Lucy Hoare, of the Christchurch Hospital staff, who was also a passenger. Her face was cut slightly. The incident occurred in a dark part of Wilson’s Boad, St. Martin’s, and although a constable was riding with the motorman and made a search, he could not find the person who threw the missile. Probably it was thrown from behind a hedge bordering the road.; During the hearing of .the charges of waiting and besetting on Saturday near Hagley Park, several’batons made from handles of hoes and branches of trees were produced, along with a claw hammer and a lead bludgeon. Giving evidence, Detective Laugeson said they were found in the grass near the point where the men were arrested. Some of the batons had been soaked in watci, evidently to give them a bit of extia weight.—(P.A.) TRIBUNAL APPOINTED. CHRISTCHURCH. Monday. . After sitting till one o’clock this morning, the tramway conference agreed to set up a tribunal under the terms of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, with Mr A. T. Donnelly as chairman, but the board makes a reservation that the claims of the volunteer workers must be given every consideration. Until the tribunal gives a decision the men will not return to *woik. (P.A.) __ UNION ATTITUDE. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The- Tramway Union states that it would not have agreed to the tribunal unless consideration yas given to the reinstatement of all members of the Union, and the dismissal of all free labourers. The tribunal will probably sit this evening. In the meantime the present tram services continue. — (P.A.)