MINERS’ MOVE TO RESUME IN WAIKATO

Grey River Argus, 2 September 1948, Page 5

MINERS’ MOVE TO RESUME IN WAIKATO

National Executive

Urges End of Strike P.A. AUCKLAND, September 1. Some move toward a return to work at the Macdonald, Glen Afton, and Pukemiro mines is expected to-mdrrow morning.

The men from the three idle mines will meet to-morrow in the Huntly Town Hall. The National Executive of the United Mine Workers’ Union has declined the strikers’ invitation to attend the meeting. • It is understood that the National Executive has advised the men to resume work, and to have their claims settled through constitutional channels.

Miners’ Overtures, Not Rejected Minister’s Proposals For Settlement (Special to “Argus”) WELLINGTON, September 1. “The newspaper report that the overtures of the men on strike at Huntly were refused by me is misleading”, said the Minister of Mines, the Hon A. McLagan, in a statement issued to-night. “The representatives of the men asked that the Mining Controller and I should visit Huntly to hear’ the case, or. if this were not practicable at the. mordent, that delegates from the men, with officers of the colliery management, should come to Wellington to discuss the matter here.

“I replied that, although I considered that the matter should be dealt with by the Disputes Committee, as previously suggested, I would be auite prepared to meet a delegation in Wellington, provided this course was agreed to by the Northern Miners’ Union, and provided also that the men resumed work pending the negotiations.

"I can see no good reason for net accepting the suggestions which I have made for the settlement of the dispute, and I again commend those to the men concerned”, the Minister added.

Secret Ballot Urged By Nationalist M.P. P.A. WELLINGTON, Sept. 1. “Everything possible is being done to settle the Waikato coal strike”, declared the Minister of Mines, Hon. A. McLagan, answering a question in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Nat., Waitomo) gave notice to ask: Whether the Minister would, with a view to ending the strike affecting the Glenafton, Macdonald, and Pukemiro mines, cause a secret ballot to be held by the Registrar of Industrial Unions, as provided for in last year’s legislation. Mr McLagan said that the members of the Northern Miners’ Union had already taken a ballot, and the majority decision was that the strike should be abandoned, and the dispute referred to the Disputes Committee. That being the result of an open ballot, there was no point in holding a secret one. Mr F. Doidge (Nat., Tauranga): What will the Minister do to get the miners back to work? Mr McLagan: Not what the Leader of the Opposition did, on the previous occasion, when he made threats against the miners. Mr McLagan said that he merely wished to stress the unwisdom of making threats to the miners, which might prove embarrassing if the miners were, subsequently, found tc have reason for striking. The leaders of the Miners’ Union were, with the Departmental officers, doing their utmost to achieve a settlement at the earliest possible moment. Mr Doidge: Meanwhile the miners are defying the law.