THE COAL DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 108, 31 January 1921, Page 4

THE COAL DISPUTE

A TENTATIVE SETTLEMENT MR. MASSEY ARRANGES A COMMITTEE An important step towards the settlement of the mining dispute relating to the alleged victimisation of a man. at the Blackball mine was made on Saturday. The Prime Minister, who han been endeavouring to bring about a se - tlement ever since the dispute began, made the following statement:— "Another conference was held. tniß morning between myself and the representatives of the mine-owners and miners respectively, when it was arranged that, subject to the approval of the executive of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association on the one side and the executive of the Miners’ Federation on the other, the question in dispute should be referred to a tribunal, consisting of one representative of the mine-owners, one representative of the miners, and a chairman recommended by the Prime Minister All three members of the proposed tribunal have been tentatively agreed upon; their decision to be final; but in the meantime their names will not be made public. On the setting up of the tribunal the go-slow policy is to cease, and normal operations are to be resumed. The executive of the Mme Owners Association and the Miners’ Federation are expected to approve of this arrangemen without delay, and normal working at the coal mines may be resumed before th! end of this week. The members of the committee will make what inquiry they consider to be necessay the incidents that are stated by the miners to have led to the reappearance of the go-slow tactics.

KAITANGATA MINERS STILL IDLE. By Tsleffrapn—Prees ABsoclation. Dunedin, January 30. The position at Kaitangata is unchanged, and tho mines nre still idle.