COAL STRIKE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11661, 11 June 1932, Page 5

COAL STRIKE

NO CHANGE IN POSITION

CONCILIATION SPIRIT AMONG

MINERS

(Press Association)

GREYMOUTH, Juno 10.

A conciliatory mood is. general a along tlio miners. Interviewed to-day, Mr W. Purdi'e, secretary of tlio West Coast Minors’ Union, stated that if a couterenco eventuated he believed everything could be fixed to tlio satisfaction. of both parties. “Ono offers an opening for a- soL tlemont; a refusal to meet offers none' 7 , liq. added. “Every possibility for a settlement should be tested, and every avenue exploited-”

1 The position remains unchanged, only the, safety men .remaining at the mines. In all, 3500 tons of coal have been taken overland siuco the mines stopped, 1200 tons being from the- bins of tho mines out on strike and tho remainder from co-operative mines. The steamer Kiumiro loaded 2000 tons of coal.

The position now is tjiat the' mines out have only sufficient coal i iitue bins necessary fo-r use in the boilers in the event of a prolonged strike. The co-operative miners are working full time, and some orders held by the mines out have heen transferred to them.

OWNERS REPLY TO LABOR

STATEMENT

WEST COAST MINES WOULD NOT WAUL FOB- DATE OF MEETING

DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER

,RAItTS

(Press Association 1 WELLINGTON, Juno 10. In a statement when interviewed to-.day, the secretary of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association said that the statement published by the national executive of the Labor party was-founded apparenfcly upon complete ignorance- of tho facts The mine owners had,never refused a coiuereneo upon their new proposals. On the. contrary, they had not only -agreed to a conference in each district immediately, a request for a conference was made by tlio unions, but in the northern, district the coufcrenco was already -commenced on two occasions. On the first occasion it -was broken off by. the action of one section of the union's members going on strike because of the notice of dismissal served by the Hikurangi company on certain men whose services wero no longer required because, of the company’s loss of a substantial order for railway coal. The union executive members frankly admitted That they did not approve ol tlio striko and the president and other mennjers of the council used their Influence successfully to bring it to an end. Work had actually resumed and the coal owners thereupon promptly arranged lor a continuance of the conference/upon the working terms and conditions- Before the conference could assemble, however, Hikuraugi was visited by a delagete from another district, and while he was thero a- second strike occurred. This alone prevented a continuance of the conference ill the northern district.

On the West-Coast, said the secretary, a conference was agreed to, the only thing left to bo determined in respect to it being tlxe date, and it was arranged that this should ho as early as conveniently possible. The miners had elected not to wait for the conference, but ceased work. In Southland, he said, there uas no exchange of communications of any kind, between the owners and the- union, but the strike was begun for no apparent reason. In tho case of the Shag Point strike,, it was announced to-day that the men were working under the terms of tlio Arbitration Court award,, which had not been interfered with.

NO INTERVENTION J3Y GOV-

ERNMENT

DISPUTE CONCERNS OWNERS

AND MEN

NO SIGNS OF UNLAWFUL. ACTS

AT PRESENT

TELEGRAMS BET WEEN >!-LAB OR LEADER AND MINISTER.

(Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 10

■The. Government lias no intention at the moment of interfering in the dispute between the coal mine owners and the miners, which has led to a national strike. The dispute, is re-, warded as on© between employers and employees. This statement was made by the Minister of Mines in reply a question. .Mr, MacMillan said- that, at fup present time, there was no reason for the Government to step in. Although watching the position closely, he said, the Government would not interfere unless forced to do through- the.-.occurrence, of ; unlawful acts, of which there was no: sign -at the xnoment, or unless there wafe n unanimous desire, by both, sides, f°r the State, to-- take part. The Minister released for, publication the text of telegrams which had passed hctweeu hipi and the leader of the Labor Party, Mr. Holland. , . In a. telegram to the Minister, Mr Holland said:—

“I istrongly urge, the Government to bring pressure to secure an unconditional conference .between the miueowners and the miner's. I feel confident that such a conference, if arranged would .'-result in an agreement, unde-r which the mines

would continue- working. Tlio own-

ofs’ -action in' insisting that tho miners shall accept a- 'drastic change in the existing conditions in one iriiportant particular.. before a new agreement ; shall be discussed'is wholly untenable, and should, not be -permitted.-to lay the Coast industry idled'.

The Minister replied:— “I am informed that the nniioowners olfered a conference on the West Coast, which was agreed _ to, but the unions ceased w.ork betoro a date could he iixod. I- suggest, therefore, that you move tlio unions oii-the Coast to resume work immediately.”

SETTLEMENT POSS IB LG. but owners must NOT DICTATE TERMS IN ADVANCE (Press Association) GIIEYMOUTH, June 10. The union mines on the West Coast continue idle in the absence of any indication of a conference from tUc employers. About 5500 tohfe of cOal have been exported from t-lie district since the stoppage and the bins arc now being emptied. Only slack will remain at the State mi lies after two vessels duo to-morrow have loaded. The West Coast Minors’ district secretary (Mr. Purely) stated, in reply to a question, that, i! the conference were held, it was believed u •satisfactory settlement would bo obtainable. All that was required was that all aspects of the matter should be reviewed together by the pat ties in order tp come ,to an agreement, but the miner's could- not accept dictated terms in -advance of .the conference. Minor dilferenoes should h e set aside until an exploration of all avenues was made jointly by the parties, y ■ No further meetings of. the union have been , held in the: Grey- district, the attitude.of the men. being reported at unanimous.