THE REEFTON DEADLOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 167, 13 July 1912, Page 5

THE REEFTON DEADLOCK.

PRIME MINISTER'S PROPOSAL. FOR INDEPENDENT ARBITRATOR!

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day. Some misunderstanding has arisen with regard to the proposal of the Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) for the possible settlement of the dispute at Keefton. The position is that Mr Massey. its Minister for Labour, proposed »hat the dispute be submitted for decision to two independent arbitrators, work to lie resumed at once pending a settlement. The Minister did not name the suggested mediators. This proposal was communicated to the Reefton citizens committee by the member for the district (Sir Arthur Guinness). Tiie following reply has been received lry the Minister from the acting-chair-man of the Reefton committee, Mr Phillips: — "Reefton Citizens Committee desire to thank you for your suggestion re mining deadlock, conveyed through Sir Arthur Guinness, which is much appreciated, and we will immediately endeavour to carry it into effect." A rumour gained currency that Mr Massey had also offered to mediate in the Warßi deadlock, but that is a difficulty of quite a different character in which he is unlikely to interfere. A NOVEL SUGGESTION. PREVENTING STPJ__E_T BY) ■LEGISLATION. - At the. meeting of tho council of _.__ Auckland Chamber of *-£_____--. yesterday, a letter was read from the Greymouth Chamber asking far support of a. resolution pa«>sed by the latter body requesting -the Government to tiring .down legislation to prevent strikes and lockouts. The chairman (Mr. Elliott) expressed the opinion that tbe proposal was a very big order for any Government to undertake. Mr. J. H. Upton said -hat if the men j were determined to strike, logi_latio_ would not act as a deterrent. Mr. A. B. Roberton thought that the new Government should be given an opportunity of outlining its policy before any steps were taken in the matter. The council resolved to inform the. Greymouth Chamber that it considered the proposal too big to be dealt with at the present time. THE FEDERATION IN GISBORNE. Mir P. Eraser (president of the Auckland General Labourers' Union), who is a member of the executive committee of the Federation of Labour, left by the Monowai this afternoon for Gisborne as a delegation from the Federation to the unionists at Gisborne. Mr Fraser recently accompanied Mr W. E. Parry (vice-president of the Federation) on an organising tour in the North Auckland district. In spite of rumours to the contrary, it is evident that there is at least some measure of sympathy for tbe Federation among the unionists of the Gisborne district, and already arrangements have been made for four meetings to be addressed by Mr Fraser during bis visit. The suggestion made by the Thames (not Waihi) Chamber of Commerce that a. scheme should be formulated for the raising of funds for the Waihi Enginedrivers* Union was considered by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday in committee, and a resolution was passed on lines of the reply sent by the secretary, which has already been published.