COAL MINES DISPUTE

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1935, Page 4

COAL MINES DISPUTE

FEDERATION DECLINES OFFER. BALLOT TO BE GONE ON WITH. British Official Wireless. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Rugby, Oct. 25. As a result of Government intervention with the owners the Secretary of Mines, Mr. H. F. Crookshank, has announced to the executive committee of the Mine Workers’ Federation that he expects to receive next Thursday a definite undertaking that selling organisations will be established in all coalfields with central co-ordination before next July. Mr. Crookshank asked the executive to consider this undertaking very carefully as signifying a substantial and permanent contribution to the structure of the industry, as well as to the well-being of the work people in the industry. Selling organisations, he said, were something practical and held out a prospect of benefits to mine workers more tangible than an arbitration tribunal, which by itself would bring them nothing of value.

The- executive privately considered Mr. Crookshank’s statement and at midnight issued a reply stating that it regretted the attitude of the Government in declining the miners’ offer to submit the claims to an arbitration court and adding that it will therefore proceed with the ballot as originally suggested. A further meeting of the executive was held this morning to consider what other steps should be taken before putting the ballot into operation.