COAL INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 228, 26 September 1928, Page 7

COAL INDUSTRY.

N.S.W. Premier's Proposals

Rejected.

CONFERENCE HELD

(Received 11.30 a.m.)

SYDNEY, this day. A conference of all the unions engaged in the coalmining industry was held to consider the proposals of the Premier, Mr. T. R. Bavin, to re-establish the coal industry on a profitable basis. It unanimously rejected the suggestions and appointed a committee to make counterproposals.

The report of the conference will be presented to the Federal council of the Miners' Federation.

The council of the Miners' Federation subsequently met and passed a resolution: "That this council is of opinion that the proposals of the New South Wales Premier for carrying on the coal industry are unworkable from the federation viewpoint, therefore they cannot be accepted."

Mr. Bavin later expressed deep regret at the rejection of his proposals. He added that they were mainly formulated for the benefit of the miners and the employees of cognate industries.

He said: "I can only assume that there is some misunderstanding regarding the efforts of the Government. Meantime these efforts will be continued towards ensuring a very necessary reduction in the price of coal, which step cannot be held up by what I consider very ill-considered action."