OWNERS’POSITION IN COAL STRIKE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 10 June 1932, Page 5

OWNERS’POSITION IN COAL STRIKE.

MEN CEASED WORK WHEN CONFERENCE WAS PENDING. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ' WELLINGTON, /Friday. In a statement when interviewed today, the secretary of the New Zea: land Coal-mine' Owners Association said the statement published by the National Executive of the Labour Party was founded apparently upon complete ignorance of the facts. The mine-own-ers had never refused a conference upon their new proposals. On the contrary they not only agreed to a conference in each district immediately the request for a conference was made by the unions, but riii the Northern district the conference 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 notice of dismissal served by the Hikurangi Company cn certain men whose services were no longer required, because of the company’s loss of a substantial order for railway coal, A union executive member frankly admitted that they did not approve of the strike arid the President and other members of the Council .used their influence successfully to taring it to an end. Work was actually resumed, and the coal-owners thereupon promptly arranged for - a continuance of the ‘conference upon working terms and conditions. Before the co'irf eren.ee could assemble, however, Hikurangi was visited by a delegate from another district and while he was there a second strike occurred. This alone prevented the continuance of the con;ferenee in the northern district. On the West Coast a conference was agreed to and the only thing left to be determined in respect to it was the date. It was arranged that this should be as early as -conveniently possible. The miners elected not to wait for the conference but ceased work. In Southland there was no exchange of c omm unie at i 0113 of any kind between the owners and the union, but the strike was begun for no apparent reason.

In the case of Shag Point, where a strike was announced to-day the men are working under the terms of an Arbitration Court award which has not 'been interfered with.