THE MINING CRISIS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 414, 25 January 1909, Page 5

THE MINING CRISIS.

DISPUTE STILL UNSETTLED.

ANOTHER CONFERENCE - WITH THE . : ~ MINISTER. ;...:. ATTITUDE OF THE COMPANY. " ■ ':•■;. (Br TELEaBAPH—PEESS ASSOCIATION.) .■;■■- ' '-. Auckland, January 24. ; The trouble at Huntly between, the Taupiri Coal Company and its employees, rer mains unsolved, and a settlement appears, to beds far off as ever. '■',- ■'.■']',■ The, Minister for Mines (the ;. Hon. R. M'Kenzie),,,after his conference with the on Friday, night, ■. left for Hamilton early next morning, and returned to : Huntly a few hours later. • . '..: : .' . ;.

During his absence a mass meeting of the men was held, from which the press waa excluded; ' It i$ understood that at this meeting on Saturday the basis of settlement suggested' by; tho Minister was laid before tho men by the union executive..' The greatest secrecy .was showiv as'to'what transpired at the: meeting, the - chief .union officials refusing point blank to supply any information. The general body of the men observed a; similar reticence. ; .. . .. ;

'.'At the. plose .of tho meeting the union - executive 'was : closeted with" the. Minister for some time, and, in'this instance, apain, no. information of any_ Mnd was divulged to tho, press';representatives. .'■ .; -.-'■ ; ; : Mr. .M'Kenzie caught the. express to Auckland early on Saturday afterngon, and by the simo train.Messrs. "J. .Fulton (presi- ■ ■dent) R. "Manning , (secretary of the ■union),- also: left ■■.Huntly; ■:. It is ainderstood that the object of the visit to Auckland ' of the two union officials is to obtain legal advice upon some point that has cropped up. -It is at any rate denied that it was to confer with the directors that they left, i .'-. On .. Saturdayi afternoon another general : - meeting "-of the:men , was held, the result of : .which. once .more, has not been fallowed'to transpire. . ■ . . ~ . ; ':Tho: feeling at Huntly is, ori the whole/a; hopeful one, and there is no doubt but that a settlement of the trouble would be welcomed, and: that" the earlier it.comes about the "more heartily thet solution will be welcomed. "- ■-•■.■■" '■■;•• '■:":"■■■:■ ■■:'- ■ ■ ■-■ '..'■■■

■ Apart from the contemptuous treatment meted out to the alleged "blacklegs," no disorderly scenes have'occurred. •":■ . ■'. : ~,.The latest .news available to-day is "to the effect : that, no settlement can'be arrived at' until to-morrow, at,the earliest.- 'It.has been"; arranged that a conference shall take place m the morning botwocn•■. Mr. M'Kenzie and '. .directors of-the; company, when proposals'for a basis" of settlement will be con;s|deredr.+lri ,the> meantime, however, the at- -, titiido'.ijf'.the directors appears; to be uncompromisingly -firm,! and .'possibly- to-morrow's', conference may not bring about-the 1 solution ' hoped for.. .:; . , : ".'-'-.- ■-..' ■'■/■':■■/.■■■ ;'•. ■■■ "•■ .Interviewed'yesterday, Mr/'E. W. Alison, chairman of-directors -of tho Taupiri Coal.'. Company, was asked, what the company's atititudo.:wquld be in respect of a-proposal that la.'.boafd.Vof: conciliation .should- be .set up," consistino; : of two representatives of . eacji, side, with an arbitrator. . '"''..'.'■'. ..'■■■' "I would say that such a proposal would. ; at once_: be rejected by', the directors," said ■■ :4!;.? o , n '::.:;.'.'The';.extraordinary.' decision which' wa3 given by ?the Special Board of ■ Conciliation' which was'presided over• by Dr.' ;M.'Arthur,. and constituted .to, deal .with tho tramways dispute, would in itself suffioato influence the directors .to' refuse to' consider such a proposition. Further, as the law lias been amended, and Boards of Conciliation no longer exist, and- provision is made that be referred on the application 'of-either -party to the Conciliation Council, f the constitution of which is provided for by jthe Act,'the directors' only agree jto a refer-once.-pf.fjbheudisp.ijte to the tribunal which' , has been "provided ior by the Parliament of tho'cijuhtry." '.'■'"' ■ . :.' ■ . . Mr; Alison-was asked if the directors had any].inclination to retire from the- stand taken in/regard, to. the four imen.v/holhad submitted tp-inedical examina-!;ition;.r-'-He"'replied-.::that there-was absolutely .'.no of.opinion".upon, ; tbe'.question. "Tha ' I directors,.were: unanimously'determined that at whatever; cost'they -would "stand loyally by -. the • four.'.inen who been loyal to i■them."."•'' *■'* -.":.■..;••' ' .-•■.:-.■'• , ; . :• .' •.

';_ On' Saturday :mbming' the company lodged -an application: with the Glerk of; Awards to havo'the' diaput-e referred : -to : a 'Council of iiConciliatjon in accordance with the new law, :and/.au:iintimatidn of the. company's having ■done: so.was , forwarded to'the Miners' Un&a .atHuntly. and Minister -Ifor Mines;. ;The three-assessors appointed .by.'the com-panyqre.Messrs.-EivW. Alison- H. A. GoiC iclon (a director of the, company)) and Hon. E.< 'Mitchelson (chairman of directors of tlioHikuratigi' Goal'.'Company). '■■■■.'■ '■■:•"-