COLLIERY ENGINEERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19320, 6 May 1926, Page 9

COLLIERY ENGINEERS.

PROSPECTS OF A TRUCE. HITCH IN NEGOTIATIONS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. . (Reed. 11.56 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 5. Federal officials of the Federated Enginedrivers' and Firemen's Association have been notified that the colliery proprietors have agreed to meet representatives of the organisation in conference to discuss the dispute, on.condition that the 14 days' notice to cease work is withdrawn. A meeting of the I? ederal executive of the Union was to have been held in Sydney to-day to consider the communication. It was stated that tho truce had been brought about by the intervention of the New South Wales Minister cf Mines, Mr. J. M. Baddeley, and two leading employers in Melbourne. The general secretary of the association said there was every prospect of the notice to cease work being withdrawn pending negotiations. However, apparently a hitch has occurred in connection with the hoped for settlement. A deputation from the Federated Engineers' Association interviewed the Minister of Labour in camera to-day and discussed the position. After the interview tho Minister declined to state how matters stood beyond saying that there would be a further interview to-morrow. Mr. Gibson, secretary of the Engineers' Society, however, said the position remained unchanged and the men's notices to cease work on Saturday still stood.