THE HUNTLY DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 416, 27 January 1909, Page 7

THE HUNTLY DISPUTE

A. SETTLEMENT, THE TERMS OF AGREEMENT. STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF DBRECTOES. tBI MUOBASH—ritESS ASSOCIATION.) " Auckland, January 20. The Huntly trouble is now at an end,;th« union.. having decided by, a largo majority at a meeting hold this morning to accept ,■ the company's proposals. ' 1 .."V ' • - This morning the Taupiri Coal Company received from the Hon; R. M'Kenzio, Mini« ster for Mines, the.foUowing telegram':— , . • A full meeting of members of the union was held this morning. .A motion 1 ■ . in favour of the acceptance of the wholo ,• of the terms from tho directors of tho . • company was carried-by a very large ma- . .. .jorifcy. The men . havo agreed to re-; .£turn to work in,-tho morning. With regard to .tho question of pay, .-■ ; I a told them that I understood-that the directors would arrange to settlo ar- ' ■ ' rears. • ■ -..■■■. . . Another question laised was as to. tho ,;three'.deputies who went -yith/.theV mei j ' . • being allowed to retain their position, I ■ stated.;in- reply- that . I Lad no doubt . • the. directors would agree to this. : : . r. Mr. Baurne has just left for-AuckJatid;: : I am glad .to say. feeling amongst themen appears to bo very good. - I go on ■■■; to Wellington by the. I.2o'trains R M'IJENZIE. . In reply the- company telegraphed to th» Hon. tyr. M'Kenzio as follows:— ' Pleased to. receive your, wire intimating -. .. that, the ujiiun, by a very largo majority, accepted, tho - company's: terms of / settlement of the Huntly trouble;. -Have ' not received any official" intimation from ' tho union. . Hope to resumo work -to--' . -morrow .morning, Have given instruc- 1 ■;. , tions to prepare ,w?ges : sheet forthwith ' on terms ■ arranged." Will pay as soon as . available;. Glad 1 ! to learn .'good feeling, v . exists amongst tho men.,- The directors ■ congratulate you on influenced ; '-.tho. union to. accept • company's terms. '-:i ; ; • '' 13. W ALISON. Interviewed this afternoon, Mr. E.- W. Alk ( soii, chairman of_ directors of the Taupiri Coal Companj, .said the. termsiof ;-the: n|e'ht ! had.-.been .agreed upon by-itterdirectorr of 'the company, ■ and' submitted' to-tho.'.Mihic ster as follows:-— ... .-• , .;'K'■ (1) That work at the company's ; .mines '! • bo resumed forthwith,, and that the four \ t-i officials, Ralph Heron, Frank Duncan,-J.', v Whorskey, and J. : Hamilton, continue to . ; fill their. positions as heretofore. - (2) That the company give. an . assur- v .anca that if it bo proven to tho satis- 1 , VL; faotiwi- of the . that, 'any 'ofthe's said four ofßoials act in an arbitrary or ' .; revengefulj manner towards.'thp "workere 't ho shall bo dismissed.' . . .. . (3),-Tbat any official ofi the company • ' who. is a member of the union shall im-' mediately withdraw from membership of • • tho union,, and in future no official of tho -; company shall be or remain a member ■ ; of the Waikato Coal Minors' Union; ■, ... i' (4)' That provided tho above terms aro agreed to by .the uni6n,:ten days' wages •be paid-to tho company's employees, ao- - ■ cording to tho rates fise<l by : tho arbitration award, plus fivo per cent. ' --■ ftiY- TEr.xGFiArn.—spncut connßsroNDßirr.V January 26. ' Mr. -E.. W; Alison, seen after tho new®was received of tho settlement of the dispute, said : the directors were extremely: pleased • that 'troublo' Vas now -at an end, and parations would be made to enable the to •.-return to work immediately. • - '. . 'Asked why tho' Company had'agreed to pay : .ten- days' wages to the mon'with an'addition < af r :;fiv»^^R-C(9n^ ; vupon'..fliev.Bii»ount.-!fia:eavla :: rUtfe",Mbrtraiion : ..a^^ , that; from...the, time the' men ~Tvould':.have-. re-. sumed. wqrl^on' January 4, until tho State. ■; wss . authorised.. by Ortler-in-(%uhcil ;A t6 : :tak6:tho/risk;covermg : , -pneunibconiosig, a'period 'of' t-en 'days elapSMlT Tho : contention : tken was' thftt' the 'eompany. was:'!iablo:for -wage 3 up;'to l 4 : days (i as _tho law did iiot provido for medical examination," ss. : tbo'minea' wero open for .work- without" any the espiration 'of the ■ 1 'lO.days.- 'The company dMided .that th'e olain) of : tho union the •payment'of wages th« ; wholo" of 'tho' time the' men were unemployed ■ could not be entertained, • and they agreed to. pay wages for the ten days; only/ plus fivo per cent. xtErirtheri asked'what was the '.reason'of tho. Alison , .as-, iplamed tliat some.eight months ago tho com;pan.v 'decided 1 :to, giro all-round -advance :of five per '"cent/ : upori: tho amount fixed; by tho' arbitration award.