THE COAL STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 237, 12 November 1909, Page 2

THE COAL STRIKE.

1-LnliiLii UL.t zuul'Mh* l& I'i.jv.t oe LuAlj l.\Otti.li»iiXu. t!\ Cable-Press Association—Copyright ~....uiv,.50.e.,iuc 1 11. liie Mount Pleasant colliery is idle. Mr. M'Cowaii congratulated Mr. Wade, Premier, on his decision to await the issue of the conference befoie making a move, out Wared that bis reii'lcnce lo peuultleo might be tnkeJ as a threat.

Jlr. I'aiiorson, president of the Miners Federation, ou tne whole appro*e» of the (.iovcrnuicnt's decision as tuning thrown the responsibility of subseuueul events upon the proprietors. lie oedared that the uiea would remain quiet unless blacklegs were introduced. The Registrar of lue Commonwealth Arbitration Court is watching the strike carefully. If it extends oeyond New South Wales he will bring it before tlie Court iu the public intercut.

The Wharf Labourers' L'uiou considered the request of the Federated Council of Waterside Workers to strike if called upon. Though the pie*» w»i excluded, it is understood that tlie meeting decided to strike if the call came. Other waterside unions are_ awaiting developments. -4t L'p to £4 per ton was yesterday paid for buuker coal in Sydney. The miners at the Curlewis pit, (lunaedasi have struck. The position in the southern districts has not been improved by on* of the Clifton colliery prosecution easel going against the men. The decision has caused considerable excitement and angry seenos. Subsequently it was announced that the company bad agreed to the dismissal of all the remaining charges with 10s expenses to each man.

The Mount Keira miners nave decided to continue work till Friday, but wheelers declare that they will not start to-day.

Delegates from the Newcastle lodges are visiting the western districts. Though no move has been made yet »t is believed the western miners are prepared to join the strike. In reference to Uie scheme of the ■ Miners' Federation to work a mine with the object of providing strike funds, it is now stated that tlie plan proposes taking over two collieries. The Melbourne Steam Ship Owners' Federation haa decided, as the result of the dislocation of trade caused by the strike, to increase the interstate, freights from 2s Od to Ss dd per ton, and passenger rates 10a per centum. The price of coal is increased by £l n ton from to-day.

THE SUGGESTED CONFERENCE. MINE OWNERS WILT. NOT RECOGNISE IT. Received Xov. 12, fl.lo a.m. Sydney, Last Night. The southern coal owners declined to participate in "the proposed conference, which they contd not recognise, and dfc cP.ncd to meet in conference represent* tives of bodies of employees with whtmT they had no business connection or bodies of employees employed in another district with" whom they bid never stood in the relation of employer to employee. Further, the association had always been rendv to meet its own employees in conference, hut had consistently declined to deal with a matter in dispute so long ns the men were outsire the pale of th t . law hv being on strike. The United Stnrcmen'i! Union decided to strike on Tuesday in support of tile ■miters.