THE COAL STRIKES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 296, 3 September 1918, Page 6

THE COAL STRIKES

AN INTERIM SKULEMENI CONFERENCE SHORTLY 'The coal trouble appears to bo approaching settlement. Now that all tho striking unions have agreed to go to work at once, tho way is open for tho arrangement of. a conference, lt is now a certainty that such a conferonco will bo held. Tho date of the conference has still to be arranged, but it will probably be noxt week. If no settlement is mado as between tho parties tho whole question will bo open again. A Press Association message from Westport stated that the strike of coal-miners had fizzled out, and all the mines wero working yesterday.'

BLACKBALL AND PAPAROA MINERS RESUME WORK TO-DAY STATEMENT BY MR. SEMPLE. By Telegraph.—Press ABBOciation. Greymouth, September 2. - A mooting of men engaged at tho Blackball and Paparoa mines was held this morning. It was ultimately decided by a large majority to resume work to-morrow pending the result 'of the conference with the conl owners. In a short chat with a "Star" re , - porter this afternoon Mr. Semple said that on account of the rumour prevalent regarding the attitude taken up by the executive and officials of thb Miners' Federation in regard to the dispute, he wished to say that the oriticism was exceedingly unfair, and there was a misunderstanding regarding the finding of the recent congress. .The executive right through had loyally obeyed the instructions of the congress. The officials had obeyed 1 the orders given them by tho executive. In, making this statement ho would defy contradiction. Itight through the executive had endeavoured to bring about a conference with the coal owners, and this was the reason why alter the ballot had been taken the seven days' grace had been jjiven to the Government and the coal owners. The present negotiations wore the result <.f tile executive's efforts, and they hoped that the negotiations would lead to a fctt.itM.vjnt of the dispute, nol only in t!;o interests of the miners, but also M t.hs general public, who required some cui'.'iiderafciofl. It h*<3 bean freely stated that ..the Executive was <wt representative of tlio umons, and tii&t the unioiiH that had ceased -.v-oik Tould refuse to accept the fixeciitiv'/a advice- and return to work. Ho v/as pknsed to sny tbkt mich was not the case. In all cas«3 tho union had accepted tho executive's advice and wwo returning to work showing that the federation y/bs really representative of the miners and of the unions to which they belonged. Mr. Semplo concluded by paying a tribute to tho raarawr in .which the Minister of Mines had endeavoured to bring about a settlement. Ho had acted excwiiiittly fairly in tho dispute so far, and tho miners and general public should bo tfceply gnitefuHo him for the way that he had worked to prevent, a dislocation,of the industry. Messrs. Winnard and Semple return to WftliinjtMß to-morrow. The other officials of" the executive of the_ federation are plready there, awaiting tho return of Messrs. Winnard and Semple, who have been detained owing to the trouble on the West Coast. The conference with the owners- will take placo at an early date, and it is hoped that an amicable settlement will be arrived at. The resumption of work by the union is in accordance with the executive's instructions;