THE BLACKBALL DISPUTE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 March 1911, Page 5

THE BLACKBALL DISPUTE.

, MATTERS IN ABEYANCE. A largely attended meeting of the Blackball Industrial Union of Workers was held in Stevens Hall, Blackball, last night. Mr H. Finch (President), presided. - The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The President stated that the meeting called for that night was to explain what had taken place at the conference that morning, between the management and the Executive of the miners, and Representatives of the Federation. After a long controversy the management decided to offer an advance of two pence per ton for all trucking over 22 yards, but owing to the resolution passed at Friday’s meeting that this Industrial Union of Workers adhere to its previous mandate, the executive were unable to accept any compromise. The manager then stated that before he could grant the demand as asked for by the Union he would have to consult the Coal Owners’ Federation, a meeting of which would be held in Dunedin on Saturday and it would be impossible for him to meet the executive before Wednesday the 29th. A motion was carried unanimously : “That this meeting has every confidence in the executive, in doing their utmost for the workers in their new agreement.”

After a discussion had taken place upon various matters, a vote of thanks to the chair terminated the meeting.

The conference between the men’s representatives and the management will be resumed on Wednesday, March 29th.