LULL OCCURS IN MINING DISPUTE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 145, 20 June 1931, Page 9

LULL OCCURS IN MINING DISPUTE.

GREYMOUTH FULL OF RUMOURS AT PRESENT.

(Special to the “ Star.”) GREYMOUTH, June 20. There was no fresh development in the West Coast mining dispute this morning. Greymouth is full of rumours, and there was a report in circulation this morning that the miners who are summoned to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Monday intended to declare the Court “ black.” This rumour, however, is discounted by the fact that the union has retained counsel for the case.

There was also a report in Greymouth that a lock-out had occurred at W allsend following on a brief dispute there on Thursday. Some support appeared to be given this rumour by reason of the fact that the mine was not working this morning, but this was merely the usual custom followed at all the mines, no work at all being done on Saturdays. The mine manager gave an assurance that no trouble of any sort had occurred.

COAL MINE OWNERS REPLY TO UNIONIST.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 20. y lr T. O. Bishop, secretary of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association, issued a statement to-day in reply to Mr A. MJLagan, secretary of the United Mine Workers’ Union, concerning the dispute between the Blackball Companv and the union. He alleged that Mr M’Lagan’s statement that the company had set itself absolutely against union labour and was not prepared to settle the dispute on reasonable terms, was utter nonsense. The company had endeavoured to work with the union in all things affecting mining operations in spite of the fact that it was losing money.

Since the conference with the union in Wellington on February 17 the company had invited tenders for preparatory work with the object of reopening another section of the mine in which, it was believed, mining might be profitably carried on. If satisfactory tenders were received, the work would be> commenced. The company had also leased an isolated portion of its freehold area to a party of miners which had commenced work. A section of the mine formerly worked had now been permanently abandoned. The company was doing no mining at the present, and there was therefore nothing to settle with the union.