The hearing record says that "a decision of cause was reached," and that the matter was dismissed after "successful conciliation with the company."

A Federal official who made the records available said that several of Middle South's other subsidiary companies have faced discrimination complaints, and that most have hiring records similar to Mississippi P and L's.

Some of the subsidiaries mentioned in EEOC complaints include the New Orleans Public Service Co., Arkansas Power and Light, and Louisiana Power and Light and several others.

Of these, Harvard has direct holdings in two: Arkansas P and L, in which Harvard owns bonds worth $2,043,802: and Louisiana P and L, where Harvard's bonds are worth $1,912,500.

Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and several Executive Orders, the companies are required to report their minority hiring records to the Federal government it they hold Federal contracts of a certain size. Mississippi P and L, for example, has a $706,000 Defense Department contract for work at the Biloxi. Miss. Ajr Force base.

Officials of Middle South and of Mississippi P and L deferred comment on the EEOC hiring report Mississippi P and L's Vice President for Personnel, C. E. Jones, was away from his Jackson office, and his associates did not speculate on how the company's employment might have changed in the last year.