THE OTIRA DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 598, 28 August 1909, Page 10

THE OTIRA DISPUTE.

(AT -BEALEY END. ■ (By. Afaoclatlon.l , Groymouth, August 25; The executive officers of tholnaneahua Minors' Union, writing.to tho "Argus," conthat the .men at tho end-of-Arthur's . Pass Tunnel were working 'eight hourslon Saturday night and Sunday niflit f;' also'that they had indemnified, Mr. M'Lea'n. for loss.or damage, to acety- • lfeno lamps;/v The men aro,certainly; working, but under; the .old conditions, and >not under tho conditions that contractors■aro endeavtouring to'enforco-at'.the Otira end of tho Works. ';-/ : HOPES FOP A SETTLEMENT, '■•j '■ Chrlstchurch, August 27. The Otira Tunnel dispute advanced "a further stage.to-day, and hopes aro now entertained Miilr a settlement; will bo : effected shortly./;'. *Mfessr&.'; Betts: and Pagan, representing the executive of the. Inanganua 'Miners' Union, arrived this morning, and had an informal conference with Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation' Commissioner, and Mr. Hagger, Labour Agent. The delegates havo full power to conduct negotiations, and effeot a settlement of the, disputo; It lias been determined that conciliation .will bo confined entiroly to tho questions of. lamps and short shifts, tho other matters to he reserved for future, consideration. The men's gnevancos were fully discussed! with Mr. Haflv, who is confident that a' settlement will be effected, and is hopeful that work will be resumed. On Monday a oonferenco will be held,when Mr. Murdooh M'Lean arrives. Mr. Hally expresses warm apprdval of the excellent behaviour of tho men. • . i'/V--'- '/;/■./■:

STATEMENT BY MR. M'LEAN. - , Christohuroh, August 27. Mr. Murdoch M'Lean, who arrived in town from ■ Wellington --this- morning, -was mterviewed to-day with a view to, ascertaining whether thero woro any further developments in connection with tho o ( tira troublo. Mr. M'Loaa said :-r"Tho whole point at jssuo is who aro to be the bosses—wo or tho men P During all tho years, we havo been employers of labour wo havo hitherto not .had the slightest : bemblancp 'of a .strike, - the Miason':besiig: that aVo have made it an economic principlo to pay our men moro liberally .than prevailing rates. This practice, wo .find, is tho best one in the long run, and has always obviated any suggestion or serious labour troublo, with tho exception -of tho present contract." Mr. M'Lean continued- that it was an absurd contention that the dispute. should be referred to the Conciliation Commissioner; as an award was in force, and if a breach of that award had been committed, why could not tho men bring tho ;matter before the Arbitration Court? As regards the !'bank-to-bank?' -clause, Mr. M!Lean expressed tho opinion .that it wfts ridiculous to contend that it should b<? generallj' introduced. It only referred-to miners,'very few of whom were employod at-Otira, and there was no more reason for it jtol apply/. to| tho whole of the men than there was for. it to apply to any contract whateverrr-laying. down a drain, for instance;,, "If the men want to work ,only seven h<Surß' ; on '; Siturdays and- Mondays," said Mr. M'Lean;, Mthey oan .do so, but it cannot be-expected that we are going to pay .thorn for eight Spoaking of the Bealoy end of the tunnel, Mr.' M'Lean stated that the? .industrial wheels there were running. very, smoothly. As regards the telcgram.'frorn . GroymoUth to tho effect that the oxecutiyp of . the ; Inangahua Miners' Union*.contradicted tho statement that the men lit Bealoy were, working under conditions that contractors wero endeavouring to onforce at Otira, Mr.. M'Lean characterised the. contradiction as "absolutely, false." In Mr. M;Lean, remarked, that had they to deal with the men alone, he felt satisfied' there would be no friction, but it was".the: tiriion* leaders who, were the real causo of tho trouble.

Mr- M'Lean leaves for Otira to-marrow, and is hopeful that a settlement of tho dispute will be!-arrived at.