GOAL OWNERS’ CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1918, Page 3

GOAL OWNERS’ CONFERENCE.

further particulars

[PF.It PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.]

WELLINGTON July 5,

The Coal Mine Owners’ Associaion, which has been considering he request made by the Miners’ Fedora ion, for an increase of wages, lias rported the result of its deliberations to the Minister of Mines. The following resolution were passed unanimously:—“That as agreements have been entered into between the inilividauls, Coal Mine Owners and individual Miners’ Unions this Association is of the opinion that the consideration of any question of varying terms of any agreement, should only be made between contracting parties, therefore the request for a Conference between the Coal Mine Owners Association and the Miners’ Federation is unnecessary. That, as existing industrial agreements, made under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts, has only been recent--ly intern! into between the Minors’ Unions and the respective Mining Companies and have still a considerable period of currency, and as there is no justifiable grounds for any further increase of wages, and in view of the fact th-t the earnings of coal mine workers, who work the full available time, compare more than favourably with tho«o of other classes of workers, the coal Mino Owners cannot see their way to agree to vary the terms of existing agreements."

“That this meeting approves of the adoption of a bonus system, dependent upon full time being worked. “That in the opinion of the Coal Mino Owners, the earnings of truckers can be considerably increased under the system of contract trucking and the Qoai Mine Owners are prepared to make suitable arrangements for the introduction of the contract svstem.