GOVERNMENT’S OFFER

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 18 September 1926, Page 9

GOVERNMENT’S OFFER

TO END COAL STRIKE

NATIONAL APPEAL TRIBUNAL

ALSO DISTRICTS SETTLEMENTS

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, Sept. 17. After conferring with Mr. iilvan Williams, and subsequent attending an all-day conference with, the miners, Mr, JtSalclwin, the Prime Minister, sent a letter to- Mr. Cook, Miners’ secretary, emphasising that after fill© Mining Association's emphatic refusal of ai national agreement regarding hours and wages, it was not within the (Government’s power to- lairrang© a- conference. However, the Mining Association declare that the owners in the districts were prepared to observe the main principles which :* national agreement would secure, consequently, with a view to- a -satisfactory isettlement, district settlements should be combined with national supervision. “If the miners at length are ready to face the economic facts and to resume work on provisional -district settlements the Governnment,” he said, “ is -prepared to introduce legislation ensuring- that these principles are properly applied bv a national appeal tribunal. It is necessary to say that this offer is made -from a sincere desire to arrive at an early settlement. The Government expects a decision without delay.”

An accompanying memorandum! explains that a ,national -arbitration tribunal will be established when work is generally resumed through provisional settlements. Any settlement providing longer hours may be reviewed by the tribunal, if it consists of a matter which formerly .would have been- dealt with by national settlements.