CONCILIATION BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 10902, 10 April 1899, Page 2

CONCILIATION BOARD.

KAITANGATA MINERS’ DISPUTE. A sitting of the Conciliation Board was held this morning for the purpose of hearing the decision of the parties in reference to the recommendations made in the industrial dispute between the Otago Coal Miners’ Union and the New Zealand Collieries, Railway, and Oil Syndicate. The members of the Board were all present, as follow:. —Messrs W. A. Sim (chairman), G. P. Farquhar, G. L. Sise, R. Fergusson, and J. A. Millar, M.H.R. Mr W, P. Watson was present 10 represent the syndicate, and Mr Smith appeared on behalf of the union. Mr Smith said that before the union intimated their acceptance or otherwise of the recommendations they desired to have an explanation of one or two matters. The first of these was with regard to the height to which boxes were to be filled. Was the height mentioned in the recommendations to be the height of the coal in the box at to-, face or at the mine mouth. If it meant at the mine mouth' then the boxes would have to be filled higher at the face so as to allow for settlement of the coal in transit Another matter was with regard to nonunionists. The clause relating to these appeared to give non-unionists toe preference of employment over unionists. The Chairman asked whether the anion had brought these matters under the notice of the company and sought to arrive at an understanding. Mr Smith; No.

The Chairman said the questions should have been discussed by the parties, as it was not for the Board to give explanations. He pointed out that the recommendation only protected the non-unionists at present in the employ of the company, and gave them equal rights with unionists. As regarded the matter of filling the boxes, the intention, he thought, was that they were to be filled to a certain height at the pit month. It seeme i absurd that these matters should not have been discussed with the company. Mr Smith: We have been rebuffed on several occasions when we have approached the company. Mr Watson said his company were prepared to accept the recommendations, but ho was instructed to ask that they be made to come into force on May 1. Mr Smith said he could not say whether the union would accept the recommendations or not. He would have to put the matters in which he had received information before the union, and accordingly would have to ask for an adjournment until Wednesday. The adjournment was agreed to. Mr Watson said his company were determined to carry out the recommendations to the letter, and desired to know what remedy' they had in the event of the union men not complying with the conditions. The Chairman said that the Board had nothing to do with the enforcement of recommendations ; it was for the Arbitration Court to do’ that. The Board then adjourned tilt Wednesday morning at eleven o’clock.

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