COMPLETE DEADLOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 284, 29 November 1940, Page 3

COMPLETE DEADLOCK.

GOLD DREDGE DISPUTE. APPEAL BY MINISTER. (P.A.) GIIEYMOUTH, Thursday. There appears to be a complete deadlock in the dispute at the Xgaliere gold dredge, where 30 employees were given notices of dismissal on Monday following failure to work on the King's Birthday, which was regarded by the men as a statutory holiday. Yesterday anabortive conference was held between representatives of the company and the Westland Gold Dredge Workers' Union, but although another offer to resume work provided they suffered no loss of wages was made by the union on behalf of the men the company has refused to resume operations. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, yesterday telegraphed the union as follows: "I would strongly advise the men to resume work forthwith and I will immediately set up a tribunal to make a thorough investigation into all matters in dispute. I would be glad to learn that the men had resumed work/' Late last night there were no further developments to suggest that the company was prepared to re-engage the men. The union indicated its willingness to accept the decision of a tribunal, which cannot be set up till work is resumed. A meeting of the , union is being held on Sunday, when, unless work at is resumed, the spread of the dispute to all other large dredges, parties with the Xgahere company to the holiday agreement, is considered possible.