MINES DISPUTE

Waikato Times, Volume 131, Issue 21836, 17 September 1942, Page 2

MINES DISPUTE

MEN SEEK A LEAD HOPES OF RESUMING WORK FURTHER MEETING ABORTIVE The deadlock in the coalfields continued today. Hopes were entertained among a large section of the men, up to a late hour yesterday, that an authoritative direction from their leaders would enable them to return to work this morning, but the failure of the executive meeting held yesterday afternoon, which was attended by Mr A. F. Moncur, M.P. for Rotorua, and Mr G. Smith, Mayor of Huntly, as mediators, to reach a decision on the advisability of convening a mass meeting of miners in Huntly last night, quashed that hope of settling a dispute the repercussions of which have been rankling with increasing discomfiture among the less militant section. The feeling exists in Huntly and its environs that the men wish to return to work. They are realising that the dispute should never have been permitted to be made the instrument for immobilisation of industry. The history of the dispute is well known, but following the unheeded advice of the union executive that the men return to work pending a settlement of the dispute through constitutional channels, the miners concerned say they have been kept “in the dark” as to the nature and extent of the negotiations conducted on their behalf. Mass Meeting Not Held The consent of the Commissioner of Police to hold a mass meeting of miners in Huntly last night had been obtained and arrangements were in train to bring the men by special buses from outlying coalfields to the meeting, but the miners’ executive did not agree to the proposal and plans for the meeting were abandoned. The position, therefore, remains obscure but it is hoped some advance will be made on the return of the Hon. A. McLagan, Minister of Industrial Manpower, and Mr T. Hall, secretary of the Northern Miners’ Union, from Wellington. In marked contrast to the tense feeling that prevailed in Huntly on Tuesday, following the banning of the proposed mass meeting and the appearance of a strong force of police officers, the streets of Huntly yesterday were comparatively deserted, with only a small section of miners about. The atmosphere was one of depression—in keeping with the feeling of the men in the rather hopeless impasse into which their actions had led them. Mr Smith said he had been endeavouring to break fresh ground in an effort to reach some agreement by which the miners would resume work. Everyone, including the miners, appreciated the position and the imperative need for a speedy resumption of work. He was hopeful that the door would be kept open until a settlement was reached. SCHOOL PUPILS AFFECTED The principal of the Hamilton Technical High School, Mr W. Fraser, mentioned at a meeting of the Board of Managers last night that owing to the difficulties of transport resulting from the interrupted coal supply, several pupils from Huntly, Taupiri and Cambridge had not been able to attend school during the past few days. Only senior pupils who had been able to travel in buses had been able to attend. SUPPLIES FOR HOSPITALS MINERS’ ASSURANCE The miners concerned in the dispute at Huntly have given an assurance that the public hospitals dependent on coal supplies from the Huntly mines will be supplied with sufficient fuel to maintain their services. This undertaking was given to Mr G. Smith, Mayor of Huntly, who is a member of the Waikato Hospital Board, and Mr Smith immediately conveyed the information to the board’s chairman, Mr F. Findlay.