ALL QUIET AT REEFTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15001, 24 May 1912, Page 8

ALL QUIET AT REEFTON.

MEN SUPPORT EXECUTE. THE MINISTER'S EFFORTS. NEARLY 300 MEN IDLE. ALL BATTERIES MAY STOP. ; IUX TErEGRAPH.--rRESS ASSOCIATION.] ' (iBSifMOtTH. Thursday. ■ !.-..■ Matters are very quiet at Reef ton to■.day.;"., . ■ , A meeting of,■ the Inangahua Miners' : Union was held lust night, when a resolution was passed confirming the action of the executive. It was decided to hold a sports meeting next week. A canvass is ; being made to-uay of the business people ; of Reef ton to provide trophies. The Hon. J. Colvin (Minister for Mines) has had an interview with Messrs. Fagan, Crowley, and Dowgray. Mr. John Jacksonj Labour agent, proceeded to Reef ton this morning (under in- ; structions from the "Department) to consult i with the Miners' Union officials and mineowners, with a view to reporting to the Department as to the prospect of a settle- ■ ment of the dispute, either amicably or by getting both parties to agree to the Arbitration Court holding a special sitting, and deciding the matter. ■":•■..' ■'■-. It is probable that the Minister .for i Mines will authorise the expenditure of | £500, voted last session for certain work !at Waiuta. Mr. . Col vin will bring the I matter of putting additional men on the i Reefton-Westport"railway before the Cabil net. ,';■;.;_ . ■■:'■ -. ._■'• j [BY TELEGHAPH.--OWN COnRE3PONDENT.] | ' „ OHMsiCHimcH, Thursday. !-.: There has, been no appreciable change in connection with tho mining deadlock at ! Reef ton. The Blackwater battery had to stop to-day on account of. an accident, to ! the machinery. Operations will be '. re- ; sumed when repairs are effected. It will, | however, only take a brief period to crush i, the stone now available, so that operations will then come to a standstill. | The < Progress and Wealth of Nations | batteries are similarly situated. The i buckets on the aerial line from the Globe i mine to the Progress i battery have been ! dismantled, a fact which is taken to indicate that the companies are preparing for a protracted dispute. Nearly 300 men in all are affected, and their number will be considerably increased when the batteries stop. The Consolidated manager to-dav declared that work would not be resumed till labour matters were on a better basis than they had been during recent months.