THE COAL CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 284, 20 August 1918, Page 6

THE COAL CRISIS

MINERS' BALLOT

BIG VOTE FOR CONFERENCE OR STRIKE

The following figures were given out yesterday ivs the result of the secret ballot taken by miners last AYcdncsday on the question of striking if a conference with Hie iniue owners is not Riven litem: ,i • For. Against. Denuiston 27G 1 Stockton : 209 0 State Mino ? ' 30f> 5 AUllerton 274 .1 Blackball 291 11 Kaitangata 18-1 17 Nightcaps S3 0 Hikurangi 82 11 Taratu 13 1 Avoca v 27, 1 Iluntly, Te Akaton, \ Pukemiro 379 33 , Totals 2,157 SI , DHNNISTON'S STOP-WORK MEETING. a WOKK OF THE FEDERATION. Two motions carried at the slop-work meeting held by the Dcnuiston Miners' Union last week were;— (1) This largely attended meeting of the Denniston Miners' Union wishes .to contradict the statement of the Coal Owners' Association in which they allege that the present demand for 20 per cent, increase in wages was initiated by a few prominent oflicers of the Coalminers' FedeVntiou, and that the said demand doek not express the desires of the ran? and iilo. Wo desiro to give full publicity to tho fact that tho present demand for a 20 per cent, increaso was decided upon by a representative conference of the whole of the affiliations of the Miners' Federation, held in Wellington in ! Member last, and was the outcome of remits tabled-by several of the unions represented, who have since been urging the federation officers to carry out the conference instructions.

(2) The Denniston Miners' Union wishes to place on record the entire confidence of tho Coalminers' federation ollicers, and expresses its appreciation of the able„ and business-like manner in which they have prepared the miners' case in suu'port of the demand for a 20 per cent, increase. As practical men, we know that our case is built oil sound mid just lines, and.we demand that it receive consideration arid respect. 1 We also desire to contradict baseless statements that have been circulated, to the eltcct that thu federation officers are -'onlinually travelling the country with the object of engineering strikes and industrial unrest among the coal miners. We'wish it to be clearly understood tlint, the constilution of the Miners' JPiKlerntioi., together with tlifl federation officers, nave prevented numbers of small spontaneous strikes, and have thus saved the community from untold discomfort and misery, for which the federation officers deserve tho respect of t'ne whole of the community. 'MINERS' OFFICIALS Di WEL'LINGTON'. Mr. P. O'Rourke (national president of the Miners' -Federation) 'and Mr. R. Scrapie"(men's agent) arrived in Wellington from the West Const.on Sunday, in connection wilh tho deadlock which has arisen over the miners' demands for a 20 per cent, increase in wages. Mr. AV. Parry (national secretary) arrived by tho Main Trunk train yesterday.