WEST COAST MINERS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 125, 23 November 1923, Page 6

WEST COAST MINERS

ANTIPATHY TO ARBITRATION COURT.

(IT TIIBGRAFH.—SPECIAL TO 181 POST.)

! DUNEDIN, This Day. At the annual meeting of shareholder? in the Westport Coal Company,, Limited, the chairman of directors "(Mr. CJ. L. Denniston) referred particularly to the stoppage of work at the mines, which had occurred as a result of .the industrial disagreement, and which had prevented normal working since 14th September at all tho West Coast collieries except the State mine. < The Hon. Mark Cohen., M.L.C., said that evidently an effort was being made to destroy the Arbitration Court. He urged upon the employers the necessity for standing firm in their adherence to the maintenance of Arbitration Court awards. The general manager (Mr. W. A. Flavell) pointed out that tfiat was the main question at issue between--the employers and the' employees. He added that the men had developed a strong antipathy to the Court, and had refused to go to it for a recon-' sideration of the award, notwithstanding the fact that the employers had consented to apply to the Court with the men for a cancellation of the present award -with a view to having the whole position again reviewed. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart and Mr. C. W. Chamberlain were re-elected directors.