The Government last week appointed Sir William' Maokenzie to hold
a 'Court of Inquiry- on the engineering dispute, .under the Industrial Courts Act, so that the public might be informed of the true facts. The inquiry was begun on Wednesday; when • the -employers stated their case. The- unions •pripoeed that the • lock-out should be suspended during the' hearing, but the employers were unable to agree to this. They preferred to announce that the workshops would be open from Wednesday to 'workmen who accepted the terms in regard • to managerial and trade union rights which were rejected' by the union exects. tives. All* other men in the forty-eight engineering unionewere locked out 'from that day. The shipyard -workers' unions came Wan understanding with the -employers that a 'ballot Should be taken' on the proposed discontinuance of the War bonus; of 16s.' fid.' a week by June 7th. The outlook is gloomy, but there are rumours of it speedy renewal of negotiations with theengineers.
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