FINAL FIGURES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 9

FINAL FIGURES.

LARGE MAJORITY RECORDED. LEADERS' POLICY OBSCURE. CONFERENCE TO DECIDE. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, November 19. The final figures of the voting of the miners on the Government's peace terms resulted as follow:— For acceptance 313,200 Against 460,860 According to the "Daily Herald" the conference of delegates will have to decide whether any further approach will be made to the Government or whether national negotiations should be abandoned. One of the alternatives which is being considered, states the "Herald," is for the districts to proceed with local negotiations and report the results to a further national conference. "In any case," the paper continues, "the vote of the rank and file is regarded as a decision to fight on for honourable terms, and the policy of the leaders will be determined in that light."

GOVERNMENT'S TERMS.

At the conferences held last week between the miners' executive and Cabinet Ministers, the Government's final memorandum of settlement of the strike, to which it was understood the owners were not committed, provided for peace for three years. A former message stated: It is a highly technical document of ten clauses, of which the first provides that the Miners' Federation shall do everything possible to promote the immediate resumption of work by district settlement, including hours of work. The owners offer to pay temporarily rates of pay not less than those existing before the stoppage as a basis of the rates in every district, except Northumberland, Durham, Cumberland and North Wales, and the same subsistence wage. The owners also undertake to reinstate workmen as opportunity offers without prejudice to those at present employed. _ Provision is made for the determination of standard district agreements, the establishment of district boards with an independent chairman, periodical determination of trading results by accountants representing both sides, and the regulation of the division of the net proceeds between the owner and the miner on the lines of the 1924 agreement. As soon as work is resumed the Government undertakes to legislate for the establishment of a national arbitral tribunal, which for six months will hear appeals against any agreement not complying with the standard agreements or those involving a day longer than seven hours. The arbitral authority will be appointed by the Minister of Labour from among members of the Industrial Court not connected with the coal industry, assisted by two assessors, one of whom will be chosen by each party appealing.