COAL MINES TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 235, 29 June 1920, Page 5

COAL MINES TROUBLE

The deadlock in the coal dispute still continnes., Hegarding ithe Prime Minister's proposal that Mr. F. V. Frazor, Assistant Public Service Commissioner, should act as umpire in the dispute, the Minors' Federation has, through Mr. Arbuckle, its secretary, written to Mr. Massey as follows:— .

"In reply to your letter of June 26, I would point out thnt the proposals contained therein nre those submitted by the Coal Owners' Association, which have already beßn rejected by my executive. Further, I have been given "instructions that I am not to agree" to any other basis of settlement than those-suggested by you to the coalmincra, and rejected by them. "I would point out to you, sir, that our offer is fully in keeping with clause 21 of the national agreement, and one that we cannot agree to forgo. ' "In regard to/your suggestion that you appoint Mr. F. V. ErazW to act as chairman, this we cannot agree with—noi that wo havo any reason to doubt Mr. Frazer's judgment or impartiality, but' we must have some one who understands the conditions in Ithe coal mines, and one wliQi lias experience in drawing agieeruents. I believe we have that person in Mr. P. Haily, whom you first suggested when we met-you at Parliament Houso. "I sincerely hope that the owners will see the justice of our claims, and agree to our request, and thus save any unpleasantness that may arise out of theso disputes." The Coal Mine Owners' Association is willing to accept Mr. Frazer as umpire in the trouble.