BLACKBALL MINE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1931, Page 6

BLACKBALL MINE

OWNERS’ STATEMENT. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 20. Mr T. O. Bishop, the Secretary of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association, has issued a statement to-day in reply to Mr A. McLagan, the Secretary of the United Mine Workers, concerning the dispute, between the Blackball Coal Company and the Miners’ Union. He alleges that Mr McLagan’s state-ment-that the Blackball Company has set itself absolutely against Union labour and is not prepared to settle the dispute on reasonable terms, is utfcer nonsense.

Mr Bishop said that the Company had endeavoured to work with the Union in all tilings affecting its operations in spite of the fact of its losing money. Mr Bishop says that since there was a conference with the Union 011 February Kith, the Blackball Coal Company has invited tenders for preparatory work with the object of re-opening another section of the mine, in which it is believed, that, mining might be profitably carried oh. if satisfactory tenders were received, work would lie commenced. The Company had, he continued, also leased, an isolated portion of its freehold area to a party of miners, which had commenced work. The section of the mine which was formerly being worked Had not been permanently abandoned. The Company were doing no niining at present. There was, therefore, nothing to settle with the Union.