OFFER TO MINERS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11660, 26 October 1923, Page 6

OFFER TO MINERS

REJECTION BY DELEGATES,

STUBBORN ATTITUDE MAINTAINED.

Per Press Association. WESTPORT, October 25.

Mr T O. Bishop, secretary to th<* Mine Owners’ Association, presents the following matters for consideration iu connection with the present mining trouble.

The Arbitration Court’s award for the West Coast does not expire until November 30th, 1924. The miners are dissatisfied with certain provisions of the award and they have asked the owners to discuss these provisions and amend them The owners refuse to do this, because they claim that an award must be .respected for the full period of its term, otherwiee there would be no settled conditions in the industry. NEW AWARD SUGGESTED.

There are certain local grievance* at the several mines, and the owners have offered to adjust these at each mine immediately after work was ’esumed. Aa regards the award the owners offered, in Wellington on October 17th, and again in Roefton on Wednesday to join with the men it* an application to the court to terminate it next month instead of next year. This will be done if the miners agree to institute proceedings for a new award to take the place of the old one. If the mine?.-* agree to do. this they wiil fiist meet the owners in conf.nonce, with the Conciliation Commissioner as chairman, md if an agreement is reached on all points so much the better. If any points are not settled by agreement they will bo referred to the Arbitration Court for settlement, end both sides will be heard by tie? court before a decision is given. The Minister for Mines, has stated that for the purposes of this hearing ho wd, nirange for the court to sit with sis additional assessors, of whom thro* will be miners and three wii] be miiu owners representatives for the purpose of deliberating on a new award. .Tin court will then really be & conference with Mr Hunter and three others repiosenting the miners, and Mr So rt and three others repreaenting the owners with the judge as chairman. Surely this tribunal no reasonable man could object to. B.ALLOT ON PROPOSAL REFUSED.

These proposals hare been rejected by five men who claim to speak on bethe West Coast miners. They havo not consulted the miners, ami they declined at Roefton on Wednesday to adopt the Minister's suggestion that a ballot of miners be taken. The owners have made an honest endeavour to settle the dispute by making the foregoing offer, while the men s delegates have maintained a stubborn attitude from the outlet and insisted on their original demand or nothing. They have declined to even laj the owners’ proposals before the men and take a ballot upon them, concluded Mr Bishop.