THE COAL INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 175, 19 April 1919, Page 8

THE COAL INDUSTRY

MINE-OWNERS DEMAND MIfcERS CONSIDERING THE POSITION ' Eariy this week the New Zealand Coal Mine . Owners' Association if rote to the executive of the Miners' Federation demanding that full effect should be given to the agreement .under which the coal mines of tho Dominion are operating at tho present time. This agreement proTides that there shall be no interruptions of work and that disputes shall be' referred for settlement to disputes conh mittees composed of representatives of tho two parties. The mine, owners contend that the numerous stoppages at the mines' during Tecent months are in direct violation of the agreement. ; The secretary of the association (Mr. iW. Pryor) has recoived the following reply'from Mr. J; Glover, secretary ,of the Miners' Federation:— "I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your memo, of the 16th, containing copy of a, resolution adopted by' your association at a meeting held on April 15 regarding the stoppages of work at the different mines (which I notice has been handed to tho Press) and will place same before inv organisation at once. I would like to point out that tho fault is not wholly on the part of my organisation, •as iii several instances the stoppages have been caused through certain coal owners affected refusing to abide by the September agreement, and in- other cases byi the pin-pricking, irri-' tating methods they -have adopted in', dealing with their employees; in one or two, instances oven refusing to meet them to discus 3 coal grievances. I shall be pleased to reply more fully when the matter has been considered by my executive."