THE ALLANDALE COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2416, 28 June 1900, Page 32

THE ALLANDALE COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

The Conciliation Board met in the Supreme Court on Friday morning to hear whether the parties to the Allandale coal mining dispute bad agreed to accept the board's recommendation. The members present were Mr F. R. Chapman (chairman), Mr G. P. Farquhar, Mr G. L. Sise, and Mr R. Ferguson. 'Mr George Smith represented the Otago Coal Miners' Union, and Mr Frank Graham appeared to represent Mr James Allen.

Tho Chairman asked Mr Smith what was the result of the conference between the parties. Mr Smith replied that he had had a conference with Mr Allen, and he understood that Mr Allen had some objections to the beard's finding. The miners had also had a meeting, and. objected to 11 clauses in the recommendation

Mr Graham handed in the following letter from Air Allen: — "I have just concluded a meeting with Mr Smith, the representative of the miners, and regret to say it is evident that however much I might be disposed to accept parts of your award, which are, in the opinion of my company, unfair to them, it is no uso my offering to do so, as the men are determined to take the matter to court. Under the circumstances, I do not say whether I would accept the award as a whole, as it might prejudice my position in the court. As the whole matter is to go there, I shall, of course, try to show where we think it should be modified in justice to ourselves." The Chairman intimated that the board would report lo the Arbitration Court that they were unable to bring about^a settlement of the dispute.