THE COAL DEADLOCK.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3514, 28 June 1920, Page 7

THE COAL DEADLOCK.

WELLINGTON, June ::.. In regard to Mr Arbuckle's statement about the coal deadlock, Mr • Pryor, secrtary of the Coalmine-,! owners' Association, said it would be sufficient to say there were disputes . in the mines mentioned, and the parvies themselve s having been unable to arrive at a settlement in regard to them, they were dealt with by the , National Disputes Committee. wh«.ch ! met in Wellington last week. Even : then, no agreement could be arrived I i at. The coalmine-owners' repre<entu- j tives on the Disputes Committee offered to have several matters re- ' : ferr'ed to the chairman, but the miners' representatives declined to adopt i that course. Following this, Mr Pry- j !or received an intimation from, the Prime Minister's office that the Fed-I eration would agree to refer the mat- < ters to the chairman for decision jf i such chairman" would consider the poinl s i' l the dispute according to the j spirit in which the national'-"agreement | was arrived at and not according to j the«*tr-iet- literal reading of the clauses relating to increased rates of pay. Thereafter he wrote Mr Massey, saying it would be impossible to dictate I to the chairman as to how he would decide a question put to him. as he would have to coii'sider the evidence submitted to him in accordance with the terms of the national agreement. On behalf of the Association renewed offers were made to the Federation: (1) That the parties should agree upon a chairman, or (2) accept the decision of the Prime Minister, or (3) agree -that the Prime Minister should appoint a chairman, or (4) agree to j Mr Massey's suggestion that he shculd submit the names of four gentlemen from amongst which the parties should agree upon one to act as chairman. The only condition the i coalmine owners impose is that the j decisions of the chairman shall be final and binding en all parties. If that is agreed to the coalmine owners are prepared to arrange an early date for the hearing of the matters in dispute.