COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2326, 29 September 1898, Page 14

COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

Mr G. Smith, secretary of the Ofcago Coal Miners' Union said in regard to the disputebetween the union and the Kaitangata Hallway and Coal Company that he did not know cf any developments that had taken place- since Sa.tun.lay. The matter stood as it then did. The Chairman : What do you suggest the board should do? Mr Smith : I cannot suggest anything. The board appears to be in a peculiar position ir* regard to this matter too. If I were to fine! the agent of the owner of the mine I would have to serve a notice of the grievance of the miners on him. The Chairman : You woxild have to serve a notice of the dispute on the owner when you. found him, because the new owner might accede to all the demands you make. Mr Smith said if he had found the agent or owner on Saturday there would not hare been time to deal with the matter that day. The Chairman : What do you propose todo? You ©,ro satisfied that it is useless to e;o-aga-inst, the Kaitongata Railway and Coal Company? Mr Smith : No, lam not satisfied ; but T cannot sse how I can proceed in the face of what you have said here. The men have someinterest in the concern. The only thing left for me to do is to continue "prospecting." The Chairman: What do you do with thepresent reference? Do you withdraw that? Mr Smith : If I served the same reference on the now owner and notified the board that that . had been done, I suppoee it would be the sameas withdrawing our reference. The Chairman said the union could not make the new owner a party to the existing dispute-.u-i-r Smith : No ; but I could make him a party to a similar one. The Chairman : He would not be a. "party to this dispute. I think the best course to adopt is to withdraw the present reference, and when you havo a dispute with the new owner you can come before tho board again. Mr Smith: Very well. I will withdraw it-