A DEADLOCK

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 258, 29 October 1921, Page 14

A DEADLOCK

IN COAL MINES DISPUTE. * PARTIES FAIL TO AGREE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) GREYMOL'TH, Friday. Following a deadlock readied at the conference held here between the coalminers and the owners, the representatives oi the former have decided that it is advisable that the federation should issue a manifesto to all members and that the president should visit all the Xorth Island and Southern unions in order that the position may bo effectively dealt with. It was also decided that the president place the position before the Alliance of Labour, and that the federation secretary notify the Australian Miners' Federation of the position with a view to getting support, should the necessity arise. The deadlock arose over the question oi whether the first agreement entered into should be for Southland or for the West Coast mines following on the miners' request for enforcing the existing national agreement at the Mataura. Mount Linton, and Wairakei mines. The miners asked that the agreement he enforced at Mataura, as against a reduction in rates and at,the other two mine:*, as against the use of forks. The owners' representatives contended that district agreements permitted forks, while in the ease oi Mataura it was stated that the company did not belong to the Owners' Association. After an adjournment, the owners' secretary, Mr. Bishop, suggested that the miners' president and himself should proceed to Southland to try to adjust the disputes there and make the Southland agreement first. The miners' president replied agreeing to the suggestion, except that the federation insisted that the West Coast agreement should be the ' first one entered into. The owners' j secretary then intimated that a deadlock had" been rcachcd. '