THE COAL STRIKE

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15871, 10 April 1917, Page 6

THE COAL STRIKE

ATTITUDE OF "WEST COAST

MINERS

PURELY AX ANTI-OONSCRIPTION

STRIKE.

(riVESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WESTPORT, April 9

There are no new developments concerning tho strike at the coal mines. Tho Eastor holidays are usually taken on Monday and Tuesday, so it may not be known until Wednesday whothor the miners, or a section of them, intend to resume work. It is understood that a meeting -will bo held at Denniston 'to-morrow morning, but its purpose has not bpen disclosed. It is suggested that it may be to review the decision previously arrived at to cease work. Tho miners wish it to be understood that their decision is purely an anticonscription one, the resolution adopted being as follows: — "We, the members of the Denniston, Millerton, and Stockton Collieries Indtistrial Union of Workers, onter our protest against conscription by the cessation of work, and demand tho immediate repeal of the Act. We "wish to state that we have no quarrel with the companies -whatever in the present instance; tho issue is conscription alone and nothing else but conscription. The strike has nothing to do with the recent arrests, or the adverse decision in the appeal cases, nor is it the result of tho failure of the recent negotiations with the mine-owners." The voting was: —At Denniston, for cessation of work 203, against 20; at Stockton the men were unanimous in striking; at Millerton 204 voted 'to ceas© work and 30 against. Tho -watersiders at Westport held. a meeting thie morning. The decision arrived at has not been made public, but it is understood that tho men decided to continue working pending the decision of tho Federation.

POSITION IN WELLINGTON. (SPECIAL TO "Tins JPIIESS.") WELLINGTON, April 9. Row that the coal strike has developed, the shortage of coal which has existed for a long time may be expected to become serious almost at once. Tho Government has available all tho information that can possibly be obtained regarding the supplies of coal in sight and the needs of the The investigation has been made b.y a special committee sot up when the Government took power to control coal at the time of tho first "scaro," when a general striko seemed imminent. It is a very good committee, and it may quite safely bo assumed that the Government is fully and accurately advised. Throe weeks ago the position was grave, and it can scarcely have improved sinco thoti. The Minister of .Railways, in his speech in l'eply to a deputation on Thursday regarding railway services, said very plainly tnat if the coal shortage became acute tho Department woulil have to lnako a cut in the services much more serious than that already announced. Mr Herries is ab present in Auckland, but on his return ho will probably wish to discuss with tlie General Manager, attd with his colleagues in tho Cabinet tho question of whether tho now situation created by tho strike in tho mines demands a further reduction in services, or tho immediate adoption of the timetables prepared for May Ist. ! In Wellington tho electric light and power plants need reservo stocks of coal, wnich the authorities have for a long timo been trying without success to obtain. Tho contractors have 'not been able to givo them the ( supplies provided for in their contracts, and they have boon buying coal in any quantities procurable, even in quite small quantities. They aro not likely to bo able to, continue tho running of tho tram services, without curtailment for very many weeks. It is understood that the Gas Company has not its customary safe reservo supplies. There must bo other, centres in Which the position is even worse than in Wellington. The State coal depot here has been unablo for some weeks to give immediate delivery of cool. Before tho strike was announced it, was not possible to {jet delivery of household coal from tho btato depot in less than a fortnight.

SATISFACTORY SUPPLY IN DUNEDIN. (StECIAI To ""THIS TRESS.'*) BtTNEDIN, April 0. Tho position in Duncdih as regards a supply of bituminous coal is very satisfactory as compared with tho mole embarrassing conditions existing m other plnccsof the Dominion. The necessity for preparing for a stoppage of supplies has been recognised in Dunedin for a long time, and every effort to build up stocks in the bins has boon made, with tho result that a fairly substantial reserve is available. It is estimated that the most important ptib-. lie departments, such as tho railways and the gasworks and other essential services, have several months' supplies in stock. With regard to the needs of minor industries, tho agents nre confident that an adequate supply for these will be available. The immediate prospects are nbt gloomy.