NEW ZEALAND MINERS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 165, 15 July 1920, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND MINERS.

DEMAND FOR A CONFERENCE

LPress Association.]

WELLINGTON, July 14. Mr Arbuckle, secretary of the Miners' federation,, has forwarded the- following letter to the Prime Minister: '"1 have been instructed by the l>icw Zealand (soal and Goldminers' Conference, now sitting in Wellington* to inform you that tne it makes the following suggestion to you, as a means of settling the present disputes in the different mines:—(1) That you call a conference of four from each side, with yourself as chairman, and that the disputes be settled along the lines followed at the drawing up of the national agreement; and (2) that the conference be arranged before Monday, July 19th. lam instructed to inform you that in the event of this method not being adopted, the whole of the miners in the Federation will take drastic action to force the same. If your duties at present are such that you cannot give the required time to this matter, we are prepared to accept Mr Hally as chairman." It is understood that the Federation is still firm in its original demand that Mr Massey shall not have the power of decision. Mr Arbuckle's letter has been referred by telegraph to the members of the Mine-owners' Association.