STRIKE UNSETTLED

Chronicle (Levin), 5 July 1948, Page 3

STRIKE UNSETTLED

Press Association) '

Miners Reject Proposal Of National Council

(Per

GREYMOUTH, July 4. Because, in the words of the president of the State Miners' Union, Mr. G. E. English, Liverpool and Strongman State inine. workers are determined to maintain a right they 'have had in the past concerning the holding of mine-mouth meetings, and are not asking for anything hew, a mass meeting of miners held yesterday, by a 20 to one majority, rejected recommendations of the national council' of United Mine Workers of • New Zealand and decided to remain oii strike. Thus both mines will enter the third'week of the strike tomorrow and tonight Mr. " English was unable to give any indidation as to any possible future moves. Yesterday 's meeting lasted for 'about hours with an attendunee of about 250 men. It was addressed by Mr. A. V. Prendeville (president) and Mr. F. Crook, secretary of the United Mine Workers and by other national counsellers. They put forward a recommendation of the council designed to bring the dispute to an end. "The men did not consider that the terms offered by the national council were fair and just," said Mr. English in an interview tonight. "All that the council 's recommendation would have done was to have taken away to a large extent the liberty we have had in. the pa'st, because it would still have left the penalty elause under which the miners would be penalised if a mine-mouth meeting lasted beyond a certain time. The miners have reaffirmed their previous decision to remain on strike," added Mr. English, "and yesterday 's vote was 20 to one in favour — even higher tlian the previous vote." Mr. English added that the national delegates would now report direet to each braneh of United Mine -Workers in tlieir own districts and explain the position. When Mr. English was asked vvhat was the position now, lie replied: "I couldn't tell you. That is in the lap of the gods." He added that he did not expecLany new moves and said that the miners were determined to mahitahi thcir right which had existed many years. Neither Mr. Prendeville nor Mr. Crook would express any opinion about the rejection of the national' eouneil's recommendation to the Runanga union. The nature of the national council 's recommendation was not made public. National Union Ipaders stated they had no communication to issue to the press.