FINAL OFFER.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20587, 1 July 1932, Page 10

FINAL OFFER.

OWNERS AND MINERS.

j northern dispute. I I (PRE 33 ASSOCIATION TEX.BOBAH-) AUCKLAND, June 30. After sitting for three days, the conference between the Northern Coal Mine Owners' Association and the- Northern Miners"' Union came to an end at 4.30 p.m. to-day, without reaching a mutual decision. The miners' delegates will return to Huntly in the morning with the owners' final terms, which will be submitted to tho men for approval or rejection by ballot. Tho result of the ballot is expected to be known oil Saturday night. Prior to tho reopening of the conference to-day, the miners' delegates met to consider certain amended terms offered by the owners. They reported their decision to the owners at 3.1 timating, it is understood, their "willingness to accept some ot the c . laus^ : but offering counter-proposals with respect to the remainder. Ballot to be Taken. The owners met separately at 2 p.m. to consider counter-proposals and at 3 p.m., when both parties came finally together, the owners presented what they termed their final offer, which they requested should be submitted to the unions at the earliest moment. In response to the owners' request the men s delegates agreed to submit the final terms to a ballot of members of the union, and give the owners an answer on Saturday night. They wall proceed -to Iluntly in the morning, and on their arrival a meeting of Huntly miners will bo held to hear the delegates' report and receive the owners' amended terms; similar meetings will be held at the mines on Saturday, a ballot being taken in each case. Mr A. McLagan, National Secretary of the United Mine Workers Union, will accompany the men s delegates to Huntly, instead of returning to Wellington. Shaft and Drive Mining. At the conclusion of the conference the Hikiirangi owners and miners delegates held a separate meeting to consider special clauses relating particularly to the conditions pertaining to shaft mining as distinct from drivemining, the character of and Huntly mines differing in that respect. The meeting concluded at 6 p.m. A ballot will be "held at Hikurangi on the main issues similar to-"that to oe taken at Huntly. . ' , . One of the clauses included in toe owners' final terms is that intended to give mine managers the unrestricted rig" t to engage and dismiss men. In its final form this clause, which is_ one of the principal bones of contention, appears in a slightly amended form the word "unrestricted" being replaced by "absolute," so that the clause now reads, "The manager of every mine shall have the absolute right to engage and discharge men at his own discretion." I