THE MINING DISPUTE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 847, 26 October 1923, Page 6

THE MINING DISPUTE.

NEGOTIATIONS FOR SETTLEMENT. FAILURE TO REACH AGREEMENT. (Per Press Association.)' REEFTON, Oct. 25. About a fortnight ago several Labour members of Parliament interviewed the Hon. G, J. Anderson and urged him to intervene, with a view of arriving at 'a settlement of the West Coast trouble. The Minister then stated that the miners could resume work if they were prepared to comply with the conditions of the award of the Arbitration Court, which still had over a year to run. The men had been guilty of a breach of the award and were apparently intent on defying the court. As Minister of Labour he had to see that the law was obeyed and could not support the action of the miners. Mr Anderson stated that if either side showed an inclination for a conference and approached him he would endeavour to arrange one. Several days later several Labour mejnbers and miners’ representatives informed the Minister that they were prepared to attend a conference with the mine owners if one could be arranged. , Ultimately, an informal meeting of both sides was held in Wellington on Thursday and Friday last, when the owners submitted a proposal'that the miners should resume work immediately, and that a conference be h r Id at once to consider the points in dispute outside the scope of the arbitration award. The owners made it plain that the matters provided for in t|io award could not be discussed, as such action would be usurpation of the functions of the court. This proposal was not acceptable to the miners' representatives. The owners then proposed that both sides should mutually agree to the termination of the present award and of the issue of a fresh award. This meant that all matters would first bo considered a';'a Conciliation Council meeting, and those on which an agreement was not reached would be decided by 'the court. It was suggested that the court have the assistance of two or three expert assessors from each side when considering matters not decided by the Conciliation Council. The Minister agreed to assessors sitting on the court when dealing with the new award, and promised to facilitate m every way the issue of a new award. The owners pomted out that under this proposal the men would have the opportunity of having all matters affecting them investigated, and expressed their willingness in the meantime to have all local grievances outside the award inquind into at once. Tiie miners’ representatives suggested a tribunal consisting of three representatives of each side with a Conciliation Council Commissioner presiding, the latter to have a deciding vote, and .that the findings of this tribunal bo embodied in the present award. They, thought the adoption of ‘ this proposal would result in immediate resumption of work.

After considerable discussion, and as no decision was arrived .at, it was arranged that the miners’ representatives should return to the West Coast and place all three proposals before the unions concerned and that a further conference be held in Reefton on Wednesday, 24th lust., at which a representative from each union should meet a representative from each company for further discussion on the proposals. The conference met yesterday, when the miners’ representatives said they had been instructed to discuss with the owners’ representatives 14 of the 19 points raised at the Reefton conference on 51st August, and that the decisions arrived at were to bo embodied in the present award. The owners declined to enter into a discussion of these points, but intimated that they would immediately after the resumption of work discuss nt each mine local grievances outside the scope of the award with a representative of the district council, a representative of the Coal Owners’ Association and the local management of the local union. The owners further agreed to immediately make a joint application with the local unions for the termination of the present award at the end of next month on condition that; both sides should institute proceedings to obtain a new award. It was pointed out that as the Arbitration Court would be meeting in Greymouth on the 23rd November the Conciliation Council could meet almost at once and the case could be dealt with at the Greymouth sitting of the Court. The miners having declined to entertain the owners’ proposal, the Minister suggested that they should take a ballot of their union members regarding it. This they also declined to do and they then put forward the following proposal: “Providing that the coal owners will grant'to the day wages men in and around the mines a 15 per cent increase in wages or guarantee the Arbitration Court’s weekly minimum of £3 16s Id, the miners’ delegate will agree to refer all the other points in dispute to a tribunal consisting of five representatives from each side, presided over by a Conciliation Commissioner for settlement. If this proposal is. agreed to, the delegates will recommend a resumption of work immediately.” The owners were not prepared to adopt this proposal and as it was clear that no agreement could be reached the conference terminated.