COAL INDUSTRY

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 12 July 1921, Page 5

COAL INDUSTRY

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

COAL MINERS CITED BY OWNERS.

(JBV rELEGP*^ —nouca iSROCT*TION.»

WELLINGTON, July 11. , Important developments are likely toarise in the coal mining industry, as, the. resultof a decision which has been reached by the conference of the New Zealand Miners' Federation, at present sitting in Wellington. A few days ago it was reported that the Goal owners had cited various Miners' Unions to appear before the Arbitration Court, the idea feeing to 6ecuj§ a local agreement with unions instead' of entering into a fresh national agree- j ment with the Miners' Federation. Practically all the"Coalminers' Unions, in the Dominion had been cited, by the | owners, and the matter has been dis- ] cussed by the delegates to the federation's conference, which passed the following resolution unanimously: "That this conference now decides that under no consideration whatever will the Arbitration Court be recognised." ! It is believed if the coal owners carry the matter into the Arbitration Court the Court will have to make awards in the -absence of representatives of the miners, who are most likely to ignore the citation notices. A pressman was informed that notwithstanding the attitude taken up by the Miners' Federation, the coal owners intended to take several disputes created with local unions into the Arbitration Court for decision. The Court could make awards in the absence of the miners' representatives, and the men would have to work under them. Should they refuse to do go, and unions cancelled s their i registration under the Arbitration* Act, the awards of the Court would continue, to operate in the various districts con-' cerned. The owners have taken advan-! tage of the legal machinery available for the settlement of industrial dis-' putes, and if the miners choo?e to flout' the law or any awards of the Court, the responsibility for any consequential developments would rest on their own shoulders.