EXTENSION LIKELY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 43, 30 November 1940, Page 2

EXTENSION LIKELY.

DREDGE WORKERS’ DISPUTE.

(Per Press Association).

GREYMOUTH, November 29,

An. offer to toss a coin to decide whether the 30 workers dismissed from the Ngahere gold dredge should receive four days’ pay for the time lost or nothing was made tay Mr C. C. Davis (chairman of directors of the Ngahere Gold Dredging Co., Ltd.) at a conference with representatives of the Westland Dredge Workers’ Union and the West Coast Trades and Labour Council to-day in an endeavour to settle the dispute. The offer was emphatically rejected by the Union, who informed him it was not prepared to risk the bread and butter of 30 men and their families on- the flip and toss of a coin. An offer by the Union that the men would resume if the company paid two days’ lost wages, leaving the other two for the decision of a tribunal, was refused by Mr Davis. In view of the necessity of the men returning to work before the Minister of Labour can appoint a tribunal, such appointment is now considered impracticable, and is unlikely that tho dredge will resume before Christmas. To-morrow the Trades mid Labour Council will consider the dispute and a special meeting of the Dredgeworkers’ Union has been called for Sunday. It is generally anticipated that the latter meeting will decide on a general stoppage of all dredges on the West Coast.