COAL CONFERENCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 233, 25 May 1932, Page 5

COAL CONFERENCE

.'Press Assn.-

negotiations closed until hikurangi strike called off BOTH SIDES STAND FIRM

— By Telagrsph — Copyrlght).

AUCKLAND, Tuesday. The deadlock between the Northern DistHct Coalminers' Union and the northern members of the NeW Zealand Coal-owners Association, in connection with negotiations for a new industrial agfe&ftient covering the Waikato and Hikurangi mines, was not ended by a further conference held to-day after an interval of a fortriight. In view of the renewed strike at Hikurangi, the owners reiterated their refusal to discuss the proposals and cOunter-proposals in general until the' luen returned to'work. The owners offered, however," to discuss one pr oposal, riamely, that mine managers sheuld have the urirestficted right to engage arid discharge men. This proposal the union representatives refu'sed to accept unless a'provis'o Yas added that a system w'as f o be devised satisfactory to the unionThe eriiployers declined to inake amendirients to' the clause and the conference then closed, the eriiployers stating that they were prepared to re-open it when the Hikurangi" miners .returned to' Viroi'k. '* * If. 'tbe ' strike did! not end before June 4, they would pufc the proposals irito effect in the Waikato mines on that date.