THE COAL STRIKES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 290, 27 August 1918, Page 6

THE COAL STRIKES

BLACKBALL UNION WILL NOT RESUME

STOP-WORK MEETING AT HUNTLY TO-DAY

There were no new developments in tho coal mines trouble yesterday. Tho strikers in , the four West Coast, mines are etill out. There is some possibility that they will go back to work on Wednesday, Iμ t that is not a well substantiated report. Advice has been received that the men of the Huntly, Waipa, and I'ukemiro, all the mines in tho Waikato fields, are to hold a stop-work meeting to-day. . ■ l

News was received from Blackball last night that the union there had a vote on tho question of returning to work, and that the men decided to remain on strike, the voting in favour of this decision being 200 to 17. Blackball is notoriously one of the most militant unions on tho Coast. The effect of this vote may be that there will bo no resumption of work on Wednesday. In that event the probabilities are that th'ro will be no conference and r.o ]\oyal Commission.

The Hon. A. M. Myers, Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies, stated to n reporter yesterday that the administration of the distribution of coal by tho Coal Committee had had the effect of allowing stacks of coal to be accumulated for certain essential services. Mr. Myers said that there wero "reasonablo stocks" of coal on hand for such users rf coal as freezing companies, the railways, and gas and lighting; services, freezing companies especially being fairly well provided for. Tho principal sufferers up till the present had been the private householders.

RAILWAY MEN'S RESOLUTIONS!

At a meeting of the Tliomdon branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants the following resolution was passed unanimously:—"That we, the Thorndon branch of the A.S.R.S., express our strong indignation with the altitude taken up by the coal mine owners in respect to the request of the Coal Miners' Federation for a conference to consider a situation rendered intolerable by the ever-increasing cost of living. We think the time is long overdue when tho State should take over all the 'coal mines, in order to safeguard the public and mine workers against excessive profiteering."

SITUATION AT THE MINES UNCHANGED. By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Westport, August 2G. The mining dispute is still unsettled. Tho deputies were prepared to resume work at Stockton to-day,.but the miners apparently were not prepared to do so pending some definite action in regard to the demand for a 20 per cent, increase. Millerton is also again idle, but at Denniston work wrs not interrupted. There is a prospect of a resumption of work at all the mines on Wednesday. More colliers are arriving in town. Shipping to-day is practically at a standstill. The Panouus, Alexander, and Nile are in port, but there is no coal. The railway yards are. well lined with strings of empty coal wagons.

(By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Taumamnui, August 26. At a meeting or! railway servants hero yesterday the following resolution was' carried:/'We consider the,action flf the Government in not compelling the mine owners, to meet the miners a further proof of their inability to deal with matters of importance and ■urgency, a fact already demonstrated by tlie present cost of living, to which wo have frequently referred by resolution. Wo say unhesitatingly that the Miners' Committee made a grave mistake in striking, because wo are convinced they are injuring their own class most in doing so. If the present wages are insufficient to keep them, the position will he intolerable with no wages at all. In our opinion the Governnient i« responsible for the present position. Had they forced a conference' enabjing both sides to put their caso they could have insisted on ..a settlement based on justice and equity. The suggestion to set np a commission is not satisfactory; tho operation is too slow and bound by red tape. The question requires prompt handling, being of vital and general importance in the present coal crisis." ■ •