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James Allen, M.H.R., examined. (No. 8.) 24. The Chairman.] What are you ?—Chairman of directors of the Allandale Coal Company (Limited). 25. We have had a statement made here that the miners who had filed an order of reference to the Arbitration Court against your company have withdrawn that. Can you give us any particulars with regard to that?—That is correct. The miners did withdraw it. They filed an order of reference some months ago; but when the Court was coming down to Dunedin to hear the case they sent notice to withdraw the cases altogether from the hearing. Our representative, Mr. Scott, met the miners' representatives in conference about it, and the delegates representing the men said they preferred to go on under the old award for twelve months rather than go to the Court just now. As 'far as I could gather from a conversation with Mr. Scott afterwards, it was really on account of the fear of what might result from the bank-to-bank clause in the Court, I can only say that as the result of a conversation with Mr. Scott. We did want to go on.

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