PUKEMIRO DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17594, 6 October 1920, Page 6

PUKEMIRO DISPUTE.

A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK. EN£?NEDR|VERS' STATUS. .NEGOTIATIONS; CONTINUE; MEN MAY RESUME THIS WEEK. [BT .TEtaGBAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION - .] . y ;>• WELLINGTON. Tuesday. " . The situation with regard to the dispute at the Pokemiro coalmine is now considered to be a little easier.- Certain negotiations are in train between the parties with reference to the status of the enginedrivers at Pukemiro, and it is believed that the miners will resume work on Thursday pending further discussion of the. position. The executive of the Coalmine Owners' Association will meet in Wellington on Thursday, when the whole matter will be considered.

" STOP-WORK " AT HUNTLY. MINEOWNERS REMAIN FIRM. -AN IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE. The miners engaged at the Taupiri Extended Mine, Huntly, held a stopwork meeting yesterday morning foe -the purpose of discussing the matter of a. levy in aid of the Pukemiro miners who are on strike. Mr. J. O'Brien, • the union's representative on >.the New Zealand Miners' Federation, addressed the meeting on the question of supporting the Pukemiro men. A show of bands was taken, about half of those present signifying their willingness to contribute one day's pay a fortnight toward a relief fund. Several others held up their hands in opposition to the proposal, and the remainder did not vote either way. It was announced that the meeting had decided to contribute- towards the support of the strikers.

The meeting lasted exactly half-an-hour, and it was not anticipated that the output of coal for the day would be appreciably decreased. Approximately nine hundred and forty tons of coal were- mined at Huntly and Botowaro on Monday, and it is expected that, should no unforeseen circumstance arise, a maximum output will be reached within the next few days.

The Pukemiro men are still on strike, and there are no indications of an early settlement. This matter is to be considered at a meeting of the New Zealand Coal Mineowners' Association in Wellington on Thursday. , Present indications are that the coal mineowners will resist any proposal for a settlement which does not embody a provision that, in the event of a strike, the enginedrivers are not to leave their work. The mineowners contend that the principle involved is one' of the greatest that has ever arisen in connection with coalmine disputes." They contend that whatever the nature of the dispute they have a right .to. expect that the mines will not in any way be rendered unsafe, as will obviously be the case if the enginedrivers are compelled to. cease work, thus rendering the pumps idle, when a miners' strike takes place.