DOBSON MINE DISPUTE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23512, 15 December 1941, Page 6

DOBSON MINE DISPUTE

DISMISSAL OF FOUR OFFICIALS SETTLEMENT AFTER MINISTER’S VISIT :>?; > GKEYMOUTH. December 14. The Dobson mine employees went on .'ike alter the dismissal of four of e ortTcials of the Grey Valley Miners' A .‘‘op-work meeting was held on :dav afternoon, in contravention of vt> from the management, and this olierl in the dismissal of Messrs W. •■■•dy ipresident), W. McNeish (trea- . r», .1. Burns ttruckers' delegate), d J. Gout is. ' he men Him decided to leave the idle. The backshift was not ■rksd on Friday night, and it was noted if an agreement would have ■ n inched m the week-end about e):nnmg cm Monday. The Minister : time.- (the Lion. P. C. Webb) ini' ■ ened, however, and ordered the re,Tpt mu of work. ft is believed that union officials apoacherl the manager. Mr J. G. Quinn, i; permission to hold a slopwork ■et.mg at 3 p.m. on Friday, about a nor matter referred from the .'tional Council for a vote, and that c manager refused permission, taktne view that it had been agreed P there should be no more stopyk meetings after the visit of the nistcr last week. After the address the Minister to the men last week, c pairs of miners were refused their -nps. but at the request of the men ’ Minister again visited the mine xt clay, with the result that the men 'X reinstated. With the refusal by the manager of

■ request for permission to hold a ■ owork meeting, the men on Friday •■idod to hold the meeting at 2 p.m. 'or the meeting, the four officials of ■ union were dismissed. In spite of ■■resell tat ions for their reinstatement,

management refused, and the mn then decided not to return to ■rk until the men were reinstated.

\ conference representacs of the company and of the counof the United Mine Workers of w Zealand was held yesterday irnmg, but no progress towards a dement was made. The union secary (Mr A. Hnggarth) had no statent to make when the matter was ■erred to him. He did state, howi't, that the question of whether the no would resume to-morrow was to the company. The men had deled not to resume work until the missed men were reinstated. A special mass meeting of the Grey 1 ley Miners' Union was held this ming at Wallsend, when the latest turn of the Minister was presented, d it was decided to abide by the ■actions indicated. The mine will ,ume to-morrow, the four dismissed ■n being re-employed.

lOLD-UP CANNOT BE PERMITTED

IR WEBB’S STATEMENT

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TO BE TAKEN .A.) WELLINGTON, Dec, 13. ■lt must be made plain.” said the nister for Labour (the Hon. P. C. -bbl, referring to stoppages at the xt field freezing works and the'Dob--i mine to-day, “that whatever leni:y may have been shown in the past, told-up of production cannot under y circumstances be permitted at the ■ j sent time.” vlr Webb said that in the present cumstances it was criminal on the ft of employers or workers to im■Je production in any way. The coun- ■ faced the greatest crisis in its hisv, and every man, woman, and child ist pull his or her full weight for ■ir own safety. If evidence was thcoming that those responsible for constitutional tactics were to blame ;y would be removed from industry, -i the Government would not hesie for a moment to authorise that irse.

Vhatever the merits of the Dobson ,e might be, said Mr Webb, the ion of the men ceasing work was (reach of the War Emergency Reguions. In view of the present emericy, he had instructed that legal proidings be taken, that the companv mid reinstate the four dismissed n, and that normal work should be umed on Monday. Instructions to ■ Westfield workers were that work mid be resumed on Monday, and iceedings would be taken against ise responsible.

BULLER DISTRICT’S SUPPORT

A.) WESTPORT. December 14. 'he Minister for Mines (the Hon. P. Webb) arrived this afternoon by dal aeroplane from Wellington ’r visiting Greymouth. He was met the Mayor of Westport (Mr J. M. aertson), the County Chairman (Mr Ward), the county engineer-clerk r C. F. Shadick), and Mrs I. Ryan, retary of the Labour Representai Council. , 'he Minister’s visit was to emphasis need for the best effort from the lers, the assurance being given that pping would be available to freight 1 to destinations. I is believed that coal miners of the ,ler district support the Minister, i instead of taking the usual 10 •s’ Christmas vacation, will have as idays only Christmas Day, Boxing v, and New Year’s Day. Tie Minister, after a brief stay at stport, left on return to Wellington. C ) WESTPORT, December 14. t meetings of miners of the Duller trict yesterday, it was decided to iport decisions made by miners in eymouth. __