COAL WAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 513, 22 April 1933, Page 5

COAL WAR

(Press Assn.

DRAMATIC TURN TWO COMPANIES STAND ALOOF FROM NEGOTIATIONS IN AUCKLAND NO FINALITY REACHED

— By Te legraph— Copyright) .

Auckland, Friday. A dramatic development this morning in> eonnection with the Government's intervention in the Waikato coal war was the refusal of two of the five companies operating in the area to attend the conference with Mr. A. H. Kimbell, Under-Secretary of Mines, who, under instructions from the Hon. C. E. Macmillan, Minister of Mines, has arrived in Auckland to meet the different owners with a view to the composition of differences The representatives present at the meeting were those from the Renown, : Pukemiro and Wilton companies. Mr. j Kimbell, in response to speeific requests, is conf erring Jirivately and j separately with the directors of the ! Taupiri and Glen Afton companies, j who declined to participate in the Open conference. Object of Visit In a statement prior to the assemblage of the representatives of the Renown, Pukemiro, and Wilton companies, Mr. Kimbell explained that 'the definite object of his visit was 'to see if, by the means of advice and conference,* he could smoothe out existing differences and diffieulties, so that production and distribution of coal in the Waikato coalfields could proceed along orderly planned lines, in order that the owners could meet what was becoming a contracting, instead of an expanding market. It was clear that if several of the mines were foreed by uneeonomic competition, to close down, the inevitable result would be that, apart from the loss of capital, many of the miners, with their homes in the district, would find themselves out of work. That would place an additional burden on the Un-

employment Fund, which was not desirable from the point of view of the men themselves and their families. Private Interview Sought Intimation that the directors of the Taupiri and Clen Afton companies would not attend this morning's conference was received by the Minister [ in Wellington yesterday afternoon. The message from the Taupiri company stated: — •"My directors consider it inadvisable to attend the meeting of coal owners in the existing strained conditions, but would be pleased to meet Mr. Kimbell privately and discuss matters with him in eonnection with the existing strike, caused wholly by the individual, ill-considered, regrettable and unjustifiable action of Renown Collieries."

The Minister feplied as follows: "I regret you are unable to fall in with my suggestion to attend Friday's meeting. In view of the serious position now existing, I strongly urge your company to be represented at the meeting. Whether this can be done or not, the Under-Secretary will certainly see your directors private'ly." The Minister received also the following telegram from Colonel W D. Holgate, president of the New Zea'land Coal Mine Owners' Association: "I regret inability to attend Mr. Kimbell's meeting on Friday, on account of a prior engagement. The strike was caused through the Renown Company breaking the existing agreement with the miners. I do not consider any good purpose can be achieved by the State intervening at present." A reply in terms similar to those 'of the telegram sent the Taupiri Company was forwarded to Colonel Holgate by the Minister. After his arrival in Auckland by 'the Limited express this morning, Mr. Kimbell arranged by telephone to confer privately and separately this 'afternoon with the directors of the Taupiri and Glen Afton Companies. Conference Proceed's

At the Ministerial rooms at the C.P.O. Mr. Kimbell met representatives of the Renown, Pukemiro and Wilton Companies. Discussing the 'question as to whether the proceedings should be open to the Press, the Under-Secretary said although the Minister had invited the five companies to attend the conference Taupiri and Glen Afton had stated that they were not prepared to attend. "They are frightened to come out into the open and f ace the music," asserted Mr H. R. Mackenzie. Mr. Kimbell: Wait a moment, please. He added that there seemed to be some mjsapprehension as to the object of his visit. He was to look into the trouble which had odcurred, and that word, "trouble," was a wideineaning term. ' " It was agreed, after further discussion, that the proceedings should be taken in camera, and that Mr. Kimbell should issue a statement prior to his departure for Wellington. V : Mr. Kimbell said he hoped to he ollln J 1 . I.L _