COAL INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17690, 30 July 1919, Page 5

COAL INDUSTRY

FORTHCOMING CONFERENCE. iFjiou OUB OWN Gorrisspondewt.) r PI WELLINGTON, July 29. liie coal mine owners ami tho Miners' federation representatives will meet in conlerenoe 011 Friday to consider the demand or tlio federation ior a new agreement in the mines. Ono oi tiie conditions oi' the old agreement was that it should stand for the period of the war, and for six months thereafter. _ According to tho definition ot the end of tho war wnich wiil be accepted tor other purposes tho agreement will not expire Limit January, but tile claim of tile miners is that it expired six months after the cessation of hostilities by the signing of the armistice. There are two x ossibiliteis from this conference, and in any event the public must suiier. If tho parties iail to agree and tho conference breaks up there will b$ a cessation of work in tho mines, and 'mo doubt a general hold up of industry all over the country. There is a ohaueo that the owners will give way and put up the price of coal, and in this case all the public will suffer because tho rise in price would have to be heavy. At other, times there would have boon no thought of giving way, but some of the owners have tired of this continual fight with the miners, and they say in effect:. -'Why should we SO l i- Wo can soli every ounce of coal we can produce for a long (time to come, and sell it at a higher price. We may as well give tho higher wagee let tho pnoe go up." The owners have had some reason to ry»m o to this frame of mind, for they have had to stand much public abuse. The grant-)n-?i ;L wage in lieu of piece work will have the immediate effect of reducing the output of the mines by from 33 pelcent. to 50 per cent* In one mine within .the past few months the minors were given shift wages because of some small disputes about the contracts, and -tho immediate result was a reduction of output by 50 per cent. If this should be tho general experience from a concession of tho shift wage to all miners the result would be an ilcrease of 100 per cent, in the pit mouth cost of coal. If the piece work system should be abolished in the mmes a demand for its abolition will at once be ma-do in respect to slaughtermen in freezing works and sheep shearers. A success such as this will at once inspire the waterside workers to ask for even more wages than they are at present receiving. It is already suggested that tho Transport Workers' Federation has on foot a scheme to demand Is 8d per hour for tram conductors on first appointment, and a corresponding increase to other tramway workers. ■ The coal owners have asked that at this cciifcrence representatives of the press be present, but it is not probable that tho miners' delegates will agree to this.