COAL MINE DISPUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1933, Page 6

COAL MINE DISPUTE

OWNERS,AND MINERS CONFER

(Per Press Association Copyright )

CHRISTCHURCH, March 9

At the request of the Alinister for Labour (the lion. Adam Hamilton), representatives, of the coal-owners and the miners met in the Conciliation Commissioner’s rocins, yesterday, in a endeavour to end the dispute that lias kept' the Southland,. mines idle since October of last year. The discussion was- of nn informal nature, and was taken in committee:'’’ a Mi- T. O. Bishop, secretary of the NeW Zealand Coal Owners’ Federation, stated that the miners’ representatives 1 had asked that reconsideration should be givfin to. five point , in the proposals submitted by the owners at the previous . conference. Briefly they werb ;iia(-l) v The right of mine owners to let work by contract; (2) rates for piece work; (J) the question of trucking by miners : (4) the-. .“hir-Q and fire” ..clause which,'. reserved the right' to tlie empl&ye.rs. to - shorten hands asAjnight • .b| ;Jiece,ssarys (5), a safeguarding..cla.ife<r*t'«s‘' setJure coal being filled reasonably free from dross. Those, attending the conference were: Employees, Afessrs J. F meat on (P'l Mdentj, •A. Ale-Lagan (spieretary United Aline- AVokers of New Zealand, Edmonds, Prendville, and Donaldson (Southland mines); employers, Messrs Ti 0. Bishop (the federation), H. McAlister (Linton), W. Excel 1 (Wairnki)v and W. Crawford (Mossbank). The result of the conference was that the miners’ representatives decided to submit the matter, as far as it has gone, to their unions on Sunday.