HIKURANGI MINE STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20961, 26 August 1931, Page 8

HIKURANGI MINE STRIKE.

CONFERENCE ARRANGED. < directors to meet men.

DISCUSSION FOR TO-MORROW.

PUMPING CONTINUES MEANTIME.

A conference has been arranged to* take place to-morrow between the directors of Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement Company, Limited, and the representatives of the miners at the company's Hikurangi collie.y with a view to arriv. ing at a settlement of the strike which has been in progress since last "Wednesday.

Following the suggestion made by t! la inspector of mines, Mr. W. Barclay, that the union should secure the safety of Uie mine by permitting the safety men to return to work and also a sufficient number of miners to keep the mine clear of water and produce enough coal for the requirements of the 'boilers, a meeting of the men was held yesterday. The executive of the union submitted proposals to the meeting, but the men decided not to agree to the proposals until such time as the directors would agree to meet the miners' executive and discuss the matters in dispute. This decision was immediately conveyed to the directors of the company in Auckland and the meeting then adjourned. The company, in reply, despatched a telegram yesterday afternoon stating that the directors were agreeable to meet the union's officials in Auckland at 2.15 p.n>. to-morrow.

In the meantime the administrative staff at the mine is doing its best to keep the boilers going and continue pumping in an effort to keep the inflow of water in check pending the outcome of the conference. Mr. Barclay returned to Auckland from Whangarei yesterday.