Meeting At Mexborough.
Reply from Mr Burt
A meeting of the Denaby Main miners was held on Wednesday morning in the Mason´s Arms lodge-room, Mexborough, Mr. P. Hatton in the chair.
The first business bore reference to a question concerning Mr. W. Chappell´s connection with the Denaby Main miners, and after some very strong language had been indulged in, a vote of censure was passed on him in his absence.
The Secretary of the Lodge read a letter which he had received from Mr. Burt M.P., in which the following passage occurred :-
” I do not see how it is possible for me to visit Denaby Main. In any case, as I have explained to Mr. Pope, I would not think of acting as arbitrator unless asked by both sides, and unless it was agreed by both sides to accept my decision.” (Hear, hear)
That was just the answer that he (the secretary) would have expected Mr. Burt to give to a communication of that description. From the reading of the letter he thought Mr. Pope had communicated with Mr. Burt on the matter.
On behalf of the committee he forwarded to Mr. Burt a copy of the Mexborough and Swinton Times which contained a full account of the interview between the deputation and Mr. Pope, and no doubt Mr. Burt had looked it over very carefully and had seen what he had done, and had arrived at the conclusion stated in his last communication.
Mr. Pickard would doubtless see Mr. Burt and inform him that the men are willing to accept him as the arbitrator provided that both sides expressed their willingness to acquiesce in whatever decision he might arrive at. (Applause)
The Chairman said what was fair to one should be fair to another, and he thought it only right that they should pass a resolution accepting the services of Mr. Burt as arbitrator in the Denaby Main dispute if he would consent to act in that capacity.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
The remainder of the business, which lasted more than three hours, was then conducted in private.