§ 67. Mr. THOMAS RICHARDSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the strike now in progress of the clerks of the Darlington Labour Exchange; whether he is aware that the cause of the dispute is that one of the clerks, who in May last was suspended for alleged insolence to his superior and Was reinstated unconditionally after inquiry, has been ordered to leave Darlington and take up duty in Perth; whether he is aware that this has.given the impression that the clerk in 2212 question is now being punished for an offence for which he had previously been acquitted; whether anything is being done by the Department to come to an understanding in the matter; and whether the instruction for the clerk to remove to Perth will be suspended pending a proper inquiry into the matter with a view to ending the strike?
Mr. BUXTONThere is now no strike in progress at the Darlington Labour Exchange. I regret to say that seven clerks employed at this Exchange absented themselves from work without leave during the latter part of last week. I understand that this action was intended as a protest against the proposed transfer to Perth of one of the clerks whose conduct had been the subject of previous inquiry. The clerks who left duty were warned that their places would be considered vacant unless they returned to duty on Monday, and I am glad to say that they all returned on the day named. The clerk has been informed that the Board are giving further consideration to the action to be taken in his case, and, meanwhile, his transfer has been suspended. I take this opportunity of stating that ample means exist for the representation and consideration of officers' grievances through the proper channels; and that there can be no excuse, therefore, for the resort to methods of seeking redress which are incompatible with the interests of the public service.