COAL DISPUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1932, Page 5

COAL DISPUTE

CONFERENCE ENDS DEADLOCK STILL REMAINS

{liy Teleyruph —IYr Frets Association AUCKLAND, May 24. At lunch-time it was learned tha the men had, reached no decision 01 the but had form eel proposals''4'or™ ,: *Submission to* th« owners this afternoon. j .'These proposals, *rthe men -believe will be acceptable* s The the;-Noriheri Distriqtj Coal .Miners’ ? Union and j tin Northern members of .the New- Zealand Coal Mine .(ji^Ujers’; Association, jovei the arranging nipf a new industrial agreement covering the Waikato> and the Kikurangi mines; was not ended by the further conference held . here to-day; after an, interval of a fortnight.

In view’ of the renewed strike at Hikurangi.the mine owners, reiterated their refusal to discuss the proposals and counter proposals in general, until the men returned to work. The owners offered, however, to discuss one proposal, .namely, that mine managers should have an unrestricted right to engage and discharge men when necessary,- /' i" : ”y" This proposal the -Upimr representatives refused to accept, unless it was with a proviso that a system was devised satisfactory to. the Union, The employers declined to make any amendments to' their clause.

The conference then . closed. The employers state that they were prepared to re-open the conference when the Hikurangi miners returned to work.

The owners stated that if the strike did not end before Jjine 4, they, would put their proposals into effect in the Waikato mines on that .date. -