THE COAL TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 287, 23 August 1918, Page 6

THE COAL TROUBLE

A THOUSAND MINERS OUT NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE — »• CONFERENCE OR ROYAL COMMISSION The trouble in the coal mines had already become yesterday very serious for the general population of tlie Dominion. The miners at Millerton, Stockton, Blackball, and Paparoa were on strike—about a thousand miners. The output of these mines is approximately one-third of tho total output of the mines of New Zealand, more, rather than less, than a third. In the present times, when flic available supplies of coal arc less than aro needed, it is easy to estimate how much the stopping of so many tniU'M must mean to the country.

Meantime, negotiations are still coin;; on between the representatives of tho miners and. the Minister of Mines (tho Hon. W. D. S. MacDouald), as representing the Government. These negotiations are not yot concluded, nor have they been broken off. It is jxpected that finality of some sort will be reached very soon, possibly to-day. The Minister, in his turn, has been in touch with the employers through their representative in Wellington. It is understood that he has proposed to tho mine owners that if they arc not willing to grant a conference a Hoyal Commission should bo set up to investigate tho whole matter. This, it may lie stated, is not an official statement of what has ken offered. It is practically certain that before tho mine owners agree to anything they will insist upon the prior condition that tho men immediately return to work.

The mino owners are scattered all over the country, and it is not likely that they will be able to give a decision until, there has been a mooting of their executive. It seems now to be likely that thero will bo a meeting of the executive in Wellington next week. Sir James Allen (the Acting Prime Minister) will be back from the south today, and his presence in Wellington may make some difference to the progress 'cf the negotiations. There is no news of any intention on the part of tho Government to put into operation tho War Regulations vhich wore framed and enacted to deal with just such a contingency as has nowarisen.

BLACKBALL AND PAPAROA MINES IDLE STATE MINERS TO HOLD STOPAVOBK MEETING TO-DAY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Greymouth, August 22. The Blackball and Paparoa mines ceased work this morning. The men held a meeting and decided not to return to work unless a 20 per oent. increase is granted. Kepresentatives from Blackball and Paparoa miners paid a visit to the Stato mine to-day and waited on the State Miners' Union. The result is that*tho Stato mine workers arc not out yet, but a stop-work meeting will bo held to-mor-row to further consider tho oa'estion. Local Press opinions are in complete agreement with tho coal miners on the question of a conference which it is considered the mine owners should forthwith concede. DENNISTON COLLTERY STILL • WORKING. Wostport, August 22. The Denniston colliery is working tho same as if nothing had occurred, lhe Stockton uiino remains idle. Tho Borough Council passed the following motion unanimously last night: "That the Westport Borough Council, as representative of tho citizens of Westport, is of opinion that the Government should insist upon tho coal mine owners of the Dominion immediately meeting in conference representatives of the coal miners, with a view to a settlement of tho dispute between the two organisations."

It is tho general opinion amongst tLose who aro entitled to speak with authority that the Coai Mine Owners' Assoair.ion will havo to agree to tho conference asked for bv the representatives of :ho C'cal. Miners' "Federation, for tho purpose of considering tho demand by the miners for an increase of wages, states tho "Otago Daily Times." It is understood that the owners will maintain that the Government is responsible for the conference, as tho men ivero already working under an agreement whereby they had been given increases of 20 per cent, and 17i per cent, on pre-war wages, and t! at if "any further increases have to be given to the men the Government will have to bear the responsibility of (ho expected advance in tho price of coal. It is fully anticipated that if the increased wages aro granted to the men a proportion of the increase will simply bo passed on by the owners to tho consumer.