NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 16 August 1918, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

westportTmines idle. WESTPORT, August 15. All the Westport district mines were idle to-day; in Dennistou owing to a ■ fatal accident and the funeral; at i Millcrton, owing to the shortage of coal trucks; and at Stockton owing to trouble regarding the discharge of a deputy. STATEMENT BY MR, SEMPLE. WESTPORT, this day. In a statement to the Westport Times, Mr Semple said the coalminers of Now Zealand had expressed their opinion by ballot, tlT|p purport of which he did not at present know. The result of the ballot would bo known in a few days. He had been right through the and from what he had seen and from what he knew privately he had not the slightest doubt the minors would do the right thing. It had been asserted by the Coal-Owners Association that there was a small company of officials at the head of affairs in Wellington, but the ballot now being taken by the miners would show that,- they were! quite prepared and fully qualified to., mind their own business. Mr. Semple wanted it to be emphasised- that no matter what the result of the ballot was the men would still be quite prepared to leave the matter in dispute open to public sentiment.