CONTINUATION OF THE DEADLOCK STATEMENT BY MR LEICH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 31

CONTINUATION OF THE DEADLOCK STATEMENT BY MR LEICH.

(Fkou Own Own Cokwcsfondi.vt.) GREYMOUTH, March 2. The position at Blackball remains in exactly the same state as when the conference rose on Friday. The deadlock remaino, and the strike continues. All day long conferences and meetings of the union nave discussed the situation, but on the vital point now at issue — that relating to a ballot when men are to be dismissed — both fides will not waive one inch, and the position is apparently in a bad way. The arrival of Mr Lomas (Chief Inspector) and Mr R. Tepnent (Inspector of Mines at Blackball) to-night is not likely to improve matters, as the strikers declare that they want no interference by the Government or Labour Department officers. On this point they are very emphatic. A rumour was circulated on Saturday to the effect that trouble would be experienced in loading the s.e. Petone with Blackball coal yesterday, but this turned out to be unfounded, as the loading was -proceeded with as usual. Regarding Friday's conferences. Air Leich (the mine manager) states that his answer to the labour agent was that he was quite willing to reinstate the -men if the tmion would allow the truckers to work 10 hours, or if the miners would truck for two hours and two of the ropemen would work 10 hours when required, thus enabling the aerial tramline to bo worked 10 hours when required. Only under these conditions would he reinstate the men. These were tho only terms on which, the miners would be required, benu?e if the miners refused to allow the truckers to work 10 hours, then the aerial tram could only work eight hours per day, thus reducing the output by from 80 to100 tons per day, and consequently so many men would not bo required to maintain the output of the mine. . When the strike occurred there were about eight men short of the number required to keep the aerial tram going for the full 10 hours, but the company was quite willing to pay overtime rates for two hours of the 10 hours' shift in order that as much coal as possible might be obtained. If the full number of men reouired had been working at the' time of dismissing- the men, instead of dismissing coven it would have been necessary to have dismissed 15. The demand for coal ha« been so great that it ie absolutely imperative that the aerial tram should work 10 hours per day. Bunker^ coal for the company's own ships had to be purchased from the "Tyneside mine. If the miners do not agree to the above terms the men cannot be reinstated, for to do so would mean to reduce the wages of the rest. "There is nothing unfair about my proposal." said Mr Leich, " for when miners are called out to truck they are paid 10s 8d per shift, whereas the ordinary trucking wage is 93 per shift, and it only means that about oight men out of 90 would have to truck for two hours per day. When truckers are asked to work 10 hours they are paid) at the rate of time and a-quarter for two hours of the 10. The question discussed at the first conference was the conditions. These terms were agreed to by the miners* representatives, but they demanded payment for the loss sustained by the seven miners from the day on which they were dismissed. ( This demand was refused on the following grounds: — II) That, if men could leave on a minute's

mtiee, I claimed the right to dismiss them on a minute's notice, and since men leave without paying the company for the loss sustained by their abrupt leaving, %vhy should ths company pay the men for their abrupt dismissal ? While this point was being discussed I suggested that the union and management sign an agreement to bind both sides to give 14 days' notice before a man could leave or be dismissed, with the exception in the case of urgent and unforeseen affairs and in the case of a- breach of the Mining Act. The miners' representatives agreed to this, but when they put it before the meeting it wa6 thrown out. (2) If the company paid this it Avould be said that it was in the wrong, which it is not, as it is the miners who have made , a breach of the Arbitration Act in striking, and they should pay the company for its loss. The representatives then took my answer before the meeting, and re-"j turned later with the information that they | had decided to" let the question of payment go to the Arbitration Court. They brought forward a new 'demand of a ballot when men are to be dismissed. I asked them why not refer the ballot to the Arbitration Court also, and to return to work on Monday. The answer was that they had no faith in the Arbitration Court. I then said that I could do no more in the matter until I saw the mining manager. The deputation returned at 6 p.m., and after I had had a consultation with the mining manager they were informed that j their proposal could not be entertained, | the reasons being 'already stated. To-day several more abortive conferences were held, I full particulars of which it is impossible to give owing to the early closing of the telephone office; but the actual position is that neither side will give way, so that the deadlock continues.