Strongman Dispute Talks In Wellington

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31768, 27 August 1968, Page 28

Strongman Dispute Talks In Wellington

(New Zealand Press Association)

GREYMOUTH, August 26.

Talks were being held in Wellington todayover the dispute that has made the Strongman State coalmine idle since Friday.

The Under-Secretary for Mines (Mr I. D. Dick) said this morning that he preferred not to comment on the dispute till his talks with the president of the United Mineworkers of New Zealand (Mr A. V. Prendiville) were completed. The dispute is over the appointment of an acting manager of Strongman during the absence on holiday of the permanent manager, Mr D. F Brown.

The men, supported by the Grey Miners’ Central Committee, after a special meeting on Saturday, held that a man with a first-class mine manager’s certificate should be the acting manager. A man with a second-class ticket, but with the approval of the inspectors has been appointed. Today Mr Brown denied allegations by the central committee that he had been advised on several occasions that this situation would develop. He said the contention was “completely erroneous” and that he had only been told

last Tuesday that there was a motion about management “on the union's books.”