THE REEFTON DEADLOCK.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14474, 1 October 1912, Page 7

THE REEFTON DEADLOCK.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION tEr-ECtIAM.) WELLINGTON, September 30. Tho matter of tho appointment of an arbitrator to'dcal with tho. Roof ton (lisputo camo boforo Mr Justico Siia in tho Supreme Court to-day. The question wus boforo tho Court on Friday and was then adjourned i« order that a conference might bo held to ascertain if tho Union would abide by tho decision of tho Arbitrator if ho wero appointed. Mr P, J. o'Regan appeared. for tho Inancahua •Minors' Industrial Union, and Sir \Y. Prvor for tho company. When tho Court sat to-dny, Mr Pryor said that a conference had been bold between Messrs . Q'ltogan, Dowgrny, Fagan, and himself, but they had not been ablo to arrive at an agreement. On behalf of the company he desired to say that thoy wero prepared to submit tho matter to real arbitration, whero both parties were bound to submit to tho decision of the arbitrator. Mr O'llegan hnd. informed him that morning that tho Union was not propared to agreo to the appointment of an arbitrator or to pay half tho expenses; neither would they agree to abide by his decision. Under theso circumstances they left it to his Honour to say whether it was fair that an arbitrator should bo appointed, lit* was prepared to submit tho names of two or three desirable persons. His Honour: It is your application, and 1 cannot appoint an arbitrator unless you aro prepared to submit names. Mr O'llosan said tho Union would not object to tho matter bcinß adjourned. Tho present application was mado on tho fcuggestion of tho companies themEclves under boction 11 ot the asreomout. His Honour had jurisdiction to appoint an arbitrator only if tho parties could not agree, lha Union did not consider it was a matter for arbitration, and could not honestly say thr.t they would nbido by the decision it an arbitrator wero ajpnointed. . Mr Pryor asked ror an adjournment till after tho Warden next Bits, at lleefton. ~ ~ ~„ v Tho matter was adjourned till I^vomber Ist.