CONCILIATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 17

CONCILIATION BOARD.

THE COAL MINERS' DISPUTE. The Conciliation Board met in the Suprema Court on Friday to hear whether the parties to the Green Island mining dispute had agreed to accept the recommendations of the board. Mr F. R. Chapman (chairman) presided, and the other members present were Messrs- J. A. Millar, -\I.H.R., G. P. Farquhar, R. Ferguson, and G. L. Sise. Mr George Smith, speaking on behalf ot the union, said that on Monday night the men met at Green Island, and exception was taken to clauses 11, IV, VIII, and XVII ofthe recommendation. These clauses deal with the hewing rates, the mode of filling the boxes, shift wages, and the matter of making discrimination between unionists and non-unionists. An informal discussion then took place, in. the course of which Mr Chapman remarked that as the parties had shown all through th© dispute a readiness to come to an amicable settlement, he thought that a further adjournment might lead to an agreement being arrived at. The board then adjourned until 3 o'clock, so that the parties might have a further conference. On resumingyit was intimated that clausa IV had- been agreed upon, but clauses H, VIII, and XVII were still in dispute, as well as clause XIII, dealing with the trucking, objected to by the enrployers. The matter was accordingly referred to> the Arbitration Court.

The Mount Ida Chronicle states that a very enjoyable dinner was given to Dr Church by the trustees and officials of the hospital in the Ancient Briton Hotel on. Thursday evening, prior to his departure for Great Britain.

An unfortunate loss occurred in the express train from the north on Monday. A young married couple boarded the train a, Timaru, amid a shower of rice, but they had not proceeded f< ir before the bride discovered that she had lost her ring. Diligent search was made in the carriage, but the missing jewel was nowhere to be found.

Preparations are being made at Paeroa for the commencement of the Paeroa-Waihi railway. Offices and stores are being built. The route of the railway has not yet, however, been definitely fixed. Mr Jackson Palmer, M.H.R., has promised to try and get th© line made on the Paeroa side of the Ohinamuri River instead of going out so far alonj the Aroha line.