COAL QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1442, 17 May 1912, Page 8

COAL QUESTION.

A BETTER OUTLOOK

MINE ORDERS CANCELLED.

Auckland, May 16. Tho "Herald's" special correspondent at TVaihi telegraphs that no official intimation has boon reccivod by tho union regarding tho decision of tho "Waiknto Coal Minors' Union to stop eupplies of coal fronrTanpirito Waihu , Wn'bn informed this evening of -n© notification given to the company, Mr. T'aTv said ho presumed that the v\s.ika to' Union had adopted this attitude to prevent any attempt by. the companies to nbTWS-smwtioui Sim fr§S labour, Hfi

expected- that supplies for household purposes would bo available so long as the union, advised by the strike-committee, authorised thorn. Tho "Herald" correspondent at Huntly telegraphs ns follows:—-Mr. - 'J'- H.' Marshatl, president of the ..Wm'kato .Miners Union when seen to-day. stated, that he hud placed the position plainly before tho nivion nt'a meeting'held the previous ovonting. The Waikato Union, he said, was part and parcel of the Federation of Labour, and as such had to obey the mandate of'tho executive' of 'that body. Tho mandate to hand was that the supply of coal from Taupiri mines to Waihi should cease -forthwith. In the event of tho company refusing to, comply there was only one thing for it—tho miners must bo called out. 'A"depuration had ( waited on Mr. Ralph this 'afternoon, .and in reply Air. Balph had-said it'was a - matter for tho of the directorate, and he would place their views before tho directorate at. an early date. On inquiry at the,mines office,, it was ■found that orders for tho usual supplies of coal for the Waihi and Grand Junction mines had been cancelled, and that no coat was now being forwarded to them. As matters stood the wishes of the Waxkato Union have been met by the cancellation of the orders, so that unless other cruest.ions -crop up; labour troubles - in Huntly need not bo anticipated. "NO INFORMATION." MINERS MEET BEHIND CLOSED >■ DOORS. IBj Telecraph—lTcss Association.) . Waihi, May 15. i.ln connection with the tradesmen's demands for cash, all classes are, treated alike. - . The soundest' customers ,in the place have to pay cash, as well as others. ■ It is stated that the Hospital.Board will be able'- to carry .on 'for .the next, two 'months without assistance.' , There is little doubt that unless some relief is forth; coming shortly there will be several cases of extremo distress.

The members of the new union express their determination to see the matter through to the end. A demonstration is to be held trf-morrow at 11 o'clock, when a procession will bo formed opposite the Union Hall, and from thence the demonstrators will march to the Recreation Ground, where impromptu sports are to be held. ; , .. ... A mass meeting of miners was held this morning, and lasted a considerable time. The press have no opportunity ot attending the meetings or procuring official reports, and therefore havo to depend upon what can be gathered afterwards. . It was understood that an alarming statement was made at the meeting, to the effect that the medical superintendent at the hospital had received instructions from tho Hospital Board not to admit any patients till the strike was settled. This was denied by a member of the board present, who is - also a member ot the union, but the person responsible for the statement maintained he was right. Allegations were made that the borough engineer had bought coal from the Grand Junction, in order to save the company a loss, and this was done with the ratepayers' money, though the. borough had no money to carry on with. It was decided to endeavour to procure the services of Mr. Scott-Bennett, the Socialist lecturer, to deliver addresses locally. . Mr. Parry complained of members giving information to the press.