REEFTON MINING TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1499, 23 July 1912, Page 6

REEFTON MINING TROUBLE.

'HEADS I WIN, TAILS YOU LOSE."

(By Teleeraph.—Prcs« Association.) Auckland, July 22. Iu connection with the efforts that have, beeu mado by tho Primo Minister (tho Hon. W. F. Massey) to effect some sort of arrangement whereby a settlement of the Heefton dispute may .it least bo possible, Mr. Chas. Rhodes (president of the Gold Mine-Owners' Association) explained to a reporter this morning that Clauso 11 in the existing agreement between niineowners and tho luangoliua Miners' Union provided for the appointment of an independent arbitrator to adjudicate upon any difference that should arise between the parties to the agreement. The union, however, would not carry out the terms of tho agreement in this respect. The miueowners could not see upon what grounds tho warden at Reefton could reasonably or legally impose as a. condition of .granting protection that the mine-owners should apply for an arbitrator in terras of Clauso 11. 'They .had dono so, of course, although tho union would have nothing to do with this action. When Mr. Massey approached the Mine-Owners' Association; tho latter body had mot him by undertaking to forego the appeal against tho ward3n's decision if tho union would accept the suggestion to have an independent arbitrator. At -the same tinio the association had made it perfectly clear to Mr. Mas?cv that they quite realised that thev were not even reasonably obliged to give i'n to so many "Heads I win, tails you lose" sort of advances that were being 'made from the other side. The position now is that (he next move must come, from the miners or from the Federation for them. It is understood that there will be a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Federation in Wellington in a dav or (wo, and it may bo that tho point, will again come up for consideration then. THE QUESTION OF ARBITRATION. Reefton, July 22. The Inangahua "Times" reports that at Saturday's meeting it was resolved to refer the question of arbitration oßered by the Mine-Owners' Association to the executive of the Federation of Labour, sitting at Wellington on Thursday.