ANOTHER STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3067, 1 May 1917, Page 6

ANOTHER STRIKE

PAPAROA MINERS OUT

GOING BACK TO-DAY

CONFERENCE TO DECIDE MATTER IN DISPUTE. Yet another strike is reported in the coal-mines of tho West Coast. .News was received in Wellington yesterday that the Paparoa miners had gone on strike on a question as to the payment to bo allowed for certain timbering work. Following hard upon tho announcement that the State miners had gone back to work, this news was very unwelcome, and was received by interested men with extreme "disgust. . This question about timbering is no now one, and it is a burning question in the Paparoa mine. The matter was very\ fully discussed at the last conference, but the employers would not then concede the demands of the men. The mine-owners' reply to the-demand is that the work is included in tho hewing of the coal, and is paid for in the hewing rate. If there is any more timbering to be done in the Paparoa mine, it may bo presumed that it is provided for in a higher hewing rate. Having this higher liewing rate, the men are now asking for more pay for timbering. This is the kind of request that is now being made, and to force compliance with their demands the miners have called a strike.

From another point .of view the strike gives the owners and the Government cause for complaint against the unions. It was part of the agreement made between the Government and the unions that there 'should be a conference of ..owners and union delegates, if the Government could persuade the owners to agree to one. This timbering question is one that would have come up at the conference as a matter of course, but the miners, without waiting to hear what the confer-ence-may decide on the question, have gone on strike. It is now open to the owners to say that this is a. breach of the undertaking made. The meeting was to have -been held on May 10, but there is a'possibility of this arrangement heing disturbed.

MEN RETURN TO WORK TO-DAY QUESTION REFERRED TO CONFERENCE. By Telegraph—Press AssocuUm. Greymouth, April 30. Tlie Paparoa miners, • who struck work to-day over the question 'as to payment for certain timbering work which has been the subject, for discussion at a previous conference, decided to-night to return, to work to-morrow, pending the conference to be held on May 9, on the condition that the increase, if granted by the conference, will date from to-morrow. For the present the men are resuming on the old rate.

STATE MINERS RESUME NO TICKET CONCESSIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Greymouth, April 30. • Both State mines resumed work today, after a three days' strike as a protest against the alteration with respect to workers' tickets on the railways. A a meeting of minors on Saturday a telegram from.Sir James Allen.(Act-ing-Prime Minister) was received. It is said to have intimated clearly that no concessions could be made.

RUNANGA MINER CHARGED SENTENCE ADJOURNED. By Telegraph—Press Assocdatijin. Dunedin, April 30. When William Alfred Coleman, ' a minor from Ruifanga, was brought up for sentence this morning for inciting a seditious stnko„at Fairfield, Mr. Macgregor, Crown Solicitor, asked .that sentence'be adjourned, he having been so instructed by the Government in pursuance of the settlement of the strike terms with the miners. He disclaimed any wish to interfere with the Magisterial functions. Sentence was adjourned, for four weeks, and accused was released on his own recoguisance.

FREEZERS IN COURT CHARGE OF BREACH OF STRIKE LAW. By Telegraph—Press Association. Hamilton, April 30. At the Magistrate's Court to-day, J. Dean, P. Dakin, F., Skeats, G. Narby, T. Curtain, G. Watson, J. Graham, A. M. Sullivan, employees at the Horobln Freezing Works, were fined £5 each, with costs 225. 9d., for a breach of tile Labour Disputes Investigation Act, 1913, having taken part in a strike in February last.