NORTHERN COLLIERIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8341, 30 January 1913, Page 11

NORTHERN COLLIERIES

PROPRIETORS REFUSE CONFER-

ENCE,

A SERIOUS DEADLOCK PRODUCED

SYDNEY, January 29. Tho Northern colliery proprie tors will adhere to the decision not to grant, a conference to the miners until the men at the Burwood mine resume. The Employees’ Eederation declares tliat the stipulation lias produced a serious deadlock, somewhat similar "to the position prior to tiie 1909 strike. The miners desire the ro-cstablish-ment of the Joint Conciliation Committee from which tho proprietors withdrew because forty-four stoppages occurred for eight months. Tho president of tho Colliery Employees’ Federation points out that half these were duo to non-observance of awards of the committee, and that tho men opposed the setting up of a wages board to deal with tho dispute.

On Wednesday. January Sth, it was xe-

ported that the unrest in the northern coalfields over the abolition ot the afternoon shift continued, but no action had ibeon formulated pending a meeting. of the proprietors on the following Thursday. On that day it was reported that an important development had taken place, possibly a prelude to the dislocation of the northern coal trade.' A meeting of coaloivners resolved to withdraw from tho Joint Conciliation Committee 1 which sometimes acted as mediator between tho employers and employees. In a letter informing the secretary of the Colliery Employees’ Federation of this decision it was pointed out that when the committee was constitute'! it was clearly understood that it could not excuse mferrutirions of trade through tho stoppages of individual lodges, whereas during the first eight mouths of the committee's existence there wero i'ony-four stoppages, and a number since tho ending of the aggregate meeting, when nearly all the Alaitiand pits became idle. Tho position, it was slated, the proprietors refused to tolerate any longer. Ob January Uth work at the collieries was proceeding, and tho outlook was said to bo slightly brighter. A meeting of nor-

thern colliery proprietors, on January Kith, agreed to Air Carmichael's suggestion to place before him their views on the points of difference between them and the Colliery Empdoyces’ -federation. This decision was regarded as a hopeful au-

gury for the .settlement of tho troubles, tin January 'hind it was staled that as u result of a mooting of colliery proprietors, it was believed tho outlook in ■the northern district was more promising. Probably the Joint Conciliation Committee would be revived, and industrial peaco maintained.

Jose Vargas, of Oviedo, Spain, won a wager by consuming, at one meal, half a lamb washed down with a gallon of shorty. After smoking the last of «0 cigars which formed tho prize, fie died the same cver.injj.