"MISAPPREHENSION."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 98, 28 April 1933, Page 8

"MISAPPREHENSION."

TATJKRI'S POSITION. "From the terms of the telegram sent by Mr. W, Davison, secretary of the Northern Miners* Union, to Mr. T. O. Bishop, secretary of the New • Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association, 'it is. clear that the executive of the' union is under an entire misapprehension as far as the Taupiri Company is concerned," said the Hon. E. W, Alison,. chairman of directors of the Taupiri "Company, in a statement this afternoon. Mr. Alison said that under date of April 24 the secretary of his company had forwarded to Mr. C. Bowron, secretary of the Rotowaro branch of the Northern Miners' Union —the men employed by the Taupiri Company —the following communication: "In order that no misapprehension may exist ■ in the minds of the members of your union as to the intention :of the directors ->f Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd., in the event of your resuming work, I am directed to inform you that it is the intention of this company to alter the terms of the agreement, entered into with your union on February 1, 1933, and that during Ihe term of that agreement the rates of pay'and the conditions of working will remain unaltered." Mr. Alison added that the letter had been sent to the Taupiri Company's employees with the object of informing them of the company's desire and intention of abiding bv its contract under the agreement. . "There was nothing in our letter," he said, "to indicate any departure whatsoever from the terms and conditions of. the existing agreement. From the wording of the communication it Will be seen that no offer of any kind was made >to the men, as would appear from the terms of Mr. Davison's telegram."