WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1921, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE COAL DISPUTE

STILL UNSETTLED

(Our Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, February 7. Hie local papers announc'ed this morning that the minors had accepted the advice of their executive and were resuming normal work as a preliminary to the consideration of the Blackball dispute by the committee already indicated. But the announcement was a little premature. The executive appears to have acted frankly enough in the matter and to have urged the men to discontinue the “go-slow’’ policy pending the conclusion of its negotiations with the Owners’ Association, but at, the moment the miners do not appear to be looking at the position in the suin' conciliatory mood. Quite probably their reluctance to accept the mediation of the committee is nothing more than a pose, but meanwhile it is oelasioning the authorities consider ud<J anxiety and beyond this they ean make no definite statement on the subject. NO OVERTIME.

I The position is made all the more luminous by the refusal of the Auckland watersiders to work overtime after A p.m. on four week days and after noon on Saturdays. At present there is no sign of the Wellington watersiders Allowing this lead, overtime having l>een worked here on Saturday afternoon, Imt the determination of the Auckland men is regarded as a symptom of the general unrest and as a. pool augury for an early settlement. It is pointed out that the difficulty of obtaining steamers to carry away the accumulating New Zealand produce is largely due to the time vessels waste in New’ Zealand waters through the leisurely and even obstructive methods of the waterside workers. The delay, of course, has an intimate connection with the existing financial stringency which is prejudicing the whole body of workers. THE PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR.

The Prime Minister is to start out this evening on bis long contemplated tun- of the South Island and for the next week or two the sent of government will Ih> situated in whatever cenMr Massey may be resting at the time. Ilis formal programme includes a visit to" the Otago Show, the opening of the Karitane-Harris Hospital at Dunedin, a banquet! at Christchurch, and tentatively a run across to the West Coast. The last item will depend upon the course of public business during bis absence, but all going well, the programme probably will be extended. The head of the Government is not d>‘. livering politic-id speeches just now, but ( hristehurcb has some amends to make t i him and possibly be might be persuaded, to speak there. department.! [, PICNICS.

Every department of the public service lias been picknicking during the last week or two anti, very successful and enjoyable affairs the outings appear t > have been. It has been left to the Agricultural Department and the Stamp Department, however, to introduce a new feature into these functions which has rather scandalised the other branches of the public service. These departments have canvassed the big business offices in the city for subscriptions towards the cost of their picnics and in addition to offending the amourpropre of their fellow civil servants, who rightly occupy no mean place >n Wellington society, have rather surprised the commercial folk to whom they :hnvo appealed. The general comment is that the civil servants being among tin- most fortunate members of the < (immunity in these, .strenuous times, should manage to finance their own pleasures, particularly as canvassers cn similar errands arc not allowed to entir public offices.