THE COAL TRADE RUMOUR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 916, 8 September 1910, Page 7

THE COAL TRADE RUMOUR.

:>.'/::- ■■: n .:.; r: ; : N-! , ■; :'• CHANCES; pPAVsiTEIEE.;/ : . (By. Toleeraph.— Special ..Correspondent.).'''". •■"/ . .' -Wahganui, Saptember fi:- - "..To-night's-.■"Herald"-" Bays:;' "With- regard; to the rumours of aii- impending general strike in - the coal trade* reference to which has been made,in- tele-; grams once or twice lately,'inquiries made locally among, various "eoal-inining firms elicited. the. answer that I they know nothing of any. probability of trouble. At the. same time many who .have kept in close; touch with'-the matter inform' us that there is' undoubtedly -''something in the wind," but just' what that something is it is difficult to define. There is said to be'a great deal'of. hurried replenishing of; stock (both private and .business)' and orders aro ; being booked. weeks" ahead., In consequence the . coal companies find that it takes them all their- time-to keep their yards full.' The,Bailwa'y Depart-, tnent, too, is filling up; with coal, and we are credibly.assured tliat,. wherever. there is a railway running-shed, -\ stacks of-fuel are being built up far iirexc-jss of normal requirements. It is fiirtlier stated that, should a strike eventuate; ■ it will probably, occur' early in December at a time'when the railway and steamer travelling of the.holiday season is beginning. Whether the above may be taken as signs portending a: strike remains of course to be "proved,, but it seems certain that, a good deal of uneasiness prevails and that in spite of official denials, there is a widespread feeling that trouble of . some 'sort is ahead.