THE NATIONAL AGREEMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16495, 4 August 1921, Page 8

THE NATIONAL AGREEMENT.

iminers refuse to budce. ! i “ WILL FIGHT TO THE LAST DITCH.” (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 4. Mr J. Arbuckle, general secretary of the Miners’ Federation, in a reply to the Mine Owners’ refusal to consider a renewal of the national agreement, states:—” The Federation will not consider the local agreements. The miners will fight to the last ditch before giving up the national agreement, which was only brought about after negotiations had cost the Government, miners and the owners much money. Now we have the owner refusing to continue a form of agreeemnt under which the industry was more settled than previously. There can only be; one reason for the owners' present attitude ; namely separation of tiro miners’ unions and bursting up the Federation, so that the owners will be able to defeat the unions singly and before the old conditions, which, such as were proposed were a disgrace to the preliminary conference, would be fruitless, as the miners have decided to stand or fall by the national agreement.” Mr Arbuckle reiterates his request for another conference to consider the renewal of the national agreement. He says:—” The miners will cease work if the Arbitration Court makes awards oi'er-riding the present national agreement.” ARBITRATION COURT NOT RECOGNISED. FEDERATION’S DECISION. [Per Prksh Association - . I DLN.Ii.DIN, Agust 4. The assessors tor the miners’ unions in the Otago and Southland dispute, m j which the men were cited by the employers, did not appear before the Conciliation Council this morning. The Commissioner, Mr Dagger, said lie would advise the unions to appoint assessors, and if they did not he would himselr appoint them. If they did not turn up, the dispute would go before the Arbitration Court, as there were no recommendations. Mr Bishop, acting secretary of the Mine-owners’ Association, said ho had been notified by the Miners’ Federation that it would not recognise the Arbitration Court. The owners’ only reason for seeking individual agreements was that they found it impossible to make an arrangement any other way, the conditions being different at various mines. The sitting was adjourned till August 23 for the Commissioner to act as indicated.