COAL DISPUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21480, 2 May 1933, Page 10

COAL DISPUTE

NO AGREEMENT BEACHED CONFERENCE CONCLUDES MEN'S BALLOT TO-DAY QUESTION OF RESUMING WORK No agreement in the coal price dispute was reached yesterday at the adjourned conference of representatives of Auckland colliery companies, and the meeting closed without matting any arrangement for further negotiations for a settlement. Mr. W. D. Holgate, president of the Sew Zealand Coal Mi:ie Owners' Association, who presided, stated after the meeting that the companies had not como to an agreement upon prices. Mr. T. 0. Bishop, secretary of the association, wbo had come Auckland last week for the conference, would return to Wellington that evening. Mr. N. R. Chapman, secretary of Renown Collieries, Limited, said although the meeting had been in camera, he felt justified in stating that tho Renown Company offered conditionally to withdraw the notice to its m?n proposing the postponement of 20 pyr cent of their wages pending a settlement in regard to coal prices. Its condition was that the Taupiri and Glen Afton Companies should raise the prices of their coal to the March level, which was being adhered to by the Renown, Pukemiro and Wilton Companies. The Taupiri and Glen Afton Companies declined to Jo this; consequently the notice to the men would remain. The companies represented at the meeting were Taupiri, Glen Afton, Pukemiro, Renown and Hikurangi. The Wilton Company was not represent, ou, not being a member of the association. Its men, who have a separate agreement with the company, are working as usual. Tho Pukemiro Company's men, who are also working, are not affiliated with the Northern Miners' District Council, but only with the New Zealand Coal Miners' Federation. A mass meeting of miners will be held at Huntly this morning to take a ballot on the question, of resuming work at the Rotowaro, Renown, Glen Afton and MaeDonald mines, which have been idle since Apjil 18, soon after the Renown Company posted its notice.