FARM LABORERS’ DISPUTE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2218, 16 June 1908, Page 2

FARM LABORERS’ DISPUTE

EXPLANATION TO ARBITRATION COURT.

Press Association. GIIHLSTCHUBOH, June 15. .‘i The dispute between the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral I/ab- - h i orers’ Union (Mr. Thorn) and tho Canterbury farmers (Mr. D. Jones) iSf and sheep-owners (Mr. Acland) was fig: mentioned at the Arbitration Court jV this morning. Tho President (Mr.Justice -Sim) asked when the Board’s i'Yi; report mould be ready. Mr. Acland said that it had taken Vi him two months to preparo a digest ’-/ji of the evidence. ' Mr. AV. Alinson (Chairman of tho Conciliation Board), replying to tho \ President, said that he did not think that the Board could report much under three weeks. The President: Three weeks? You ought to have your minds made up ff&Li and should only require to compare -V views. Air. -Minson said the difficulty w-a 6 to put in legal terms for the guidance y of the Court the Board’s decision. The President said that there -was no necessity to do so. Mr. Minson said that tho 80-ard-Vf •had deputed him to interview His <^^-.„j Honor in order to ascertain .froni'liimfsuggestions as ,to the simplifies of the Board’s work. Tho Board mas it ' not composed of legal men, and it ,'Vwas doing its work in -its own way. ?,« It was probable that His Honor might suggest -a shorter way to tlio , v'iv J Board. Each party to the dispute'KSfll had h uided m tabulated Statements'Ll <&> giving summaries of the evidence. As' they were at variance, the Board ifMftj considers it absolutely necessary that ' '.yl' tho Board should prepare one of its own for tlio Court to work 'upon. '- -- This would be a big work. Ho prepared to admit t.hat five would not do tho work so quickly’ as two. “ He also referred to the list handed C into the Board hv Air. Acland. Air. Acland explained that it dealt with wages, hours, conditions, and .-..V;whether or not there was dissatisfae-, tion. bide issues, such as preference to unionists, were not dealt with. TlieiPrcsideivt, afterconsultinglwith tie Court said to Air. Alinson-that the Board lnd beeu directed to report on a fair and reasonable settlement of the dispute and also under four Vy4 specified heads, and ho understood ,Lift om what Air. Alinson -bad said that V-iv tho Board-, -would liavo difficultv in dealing with these last-mentioned '.yd? matters, and what the -Court bad do- -»L.'■£ cided upon was that the Board should . report as to what was ia fair and roa.sonaoloj Kotilemont of t>he <1 is puto ’ and never mind other matters. ~0 Air. 'Alinson: Wo are not to show anv reasons for our decision? . ... *-*'® President: Show anything'you . nke. but you are under no obligation to do so. Pile Board nee<l not report 1 oil tho Special matters but only as - \*r to what -would be a. fair and ireason- '-s able settlement of the dispute. Howlong would that take? V2 Air. Alinson: I should think most '? likely 111 a week. -ff. lhc.President: I think that memhers of the Board having heard all the evidence, should have made up 1 tlie:r minds on tlie matters raised by the dispute. .'l;;**

Air. Alinson said that if the Board ->£; had been -aware that it was to report on a lair and reasonable settlement ASal of ibe dispute it was in a position .'lll to do so a mouth ago. Thev mould gel a report tiled this -week. mir Alinson said llial lit" himself saw no N f Vi reisou why tills could not be done. The President asked that the Je&j Board should file its report this week Vfj and, in reply f© Air. Jones, said that ; S if the report wiis filed as expected the. Court would discuss Hu* preliminaries ffj with the parties on die 20th inst.