COLLIERY DISPUTE

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 63, 14 March 1919, Page 8

COLLIERY DISPUTE

BLACKBALL SETTLEMENT. MINERS ADMIT MISTAKE. (3y Tele*rrap_.—Press Association.) WKLLINI .TON", .uursday. The Blackball mine dispute was responsible for a conference between the members of the executive of the Coal Mineowners' Association and the Miners' Federation, -which was held to-day at the suggestion of the Minister for Mines. The conference was attended by Sir George Clifford and Messrs "VY. Recce, T. 8. Weston, \V. A. Flavell, and Arnaud McKellar, representing the Mineowners' Association, and Messrs O'Rourke, O'Brien, Williams, Hallerstone. and Glover representing the Miners' Federation.

The Minister opened -he conference, and said the directors of the Blackball Company had agTeed to his suggestion that the matter of the reinstatement ot the recently-dismissed men should be referred to the two executives for consideration. He expressed the hope that an amicable settlement would result.

A se-tlement was arrived at on the following terms: —"In view of its being conceded by the New Zealand Miners' Federation that the action of the men which, caused their dismissal at Blackball •was a mistake on their part in regard to the agreements existing, and therefore tbe dismissal did not amount in any sense to victhnfeation—as has been publicly alleged—the Black-ball Company agrees to reinstate the dismissed _iiner_ _s from Monday next."