SETTLEMENT NEAR?

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 730, 1 August 1929, Page 9

SETTLEMENT NEAR?

COALMINERS SEEKING COMPROMISE CONFERENCE SOON (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY, Wednesday. The indications point to an early settlement of the coalminers’ strike in New South Wales. This is the result of the expressed desire of the miners’ representatives for a compromise, and of pressure by business people for the reopening of the mines in order to avoid bankruptcy. The Coal Commision today issued a statement defining the procedure it intends to adopt in arriving at a decision as to the owners’ profits. The miners’ representatives say there is no guarantee that the findings of the commission will be binding on either side. They are not anxious to await its ultimate conclusions. Therefore overtures will be made at the end of the week to the mineowners for a resumption of negotiations for a settlement. It is expected that a recommendation to accept the owners* bedrock terms will be approved at a full meeting of representatives of the enginedrivers and mine employees on Friday evening. The coalmines at Newcastle have been idle 121 days. It is estimated Hhat the miners have each lost £254 by nr/r\iccepting the owners’ offer of a reduction in wages of Is. The average output of the pit-hands was about seven tons of coal a day. For that originally they were paid 6s lid a ton. The owners’ offer would have enabled each man to earn 42s Id a day.