STATE MINERS OUT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 247, 24 November 1909, Page 2

STATE MINERS OUT

ALL WORK SUSPENDED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Greymouth, Tuesday. The position at the State mine is that work is being continued pending a reply to the manager's representations to Wellington. If the reply is unsatisfactory all work will cease at a moment's notice. Greymouth, Later. The Minister of Mines wanted the trouble referred to the Conciliatio.i Commissioner, but the men refused and all work is now stopped. Details are meagre, but it is evident that work is' at a complete standstill. I

Ml!. MANNING'S VIEWS. I Auckland, Last Niglil. l| In the course of an interview to-niglil Mr. R. Manning, secretary of the New R Zealand Miners' Federation, said he hop- , ed (he strike at the State coal mine at ; Point Elizabeth would not be a prolonged one, and he saw no reason why it, , should extend to the other State mine t or to private mines, out he could not t state quite definitely that neither the j Weymouth miners nor other coal inin.-.s, thl-oughout New Zealand .would eontcmplate the surrender of the principle !n- ---, voved, which was that men working on ; lull should not he called upon to do rucking. Th,. duration of the strike, therefore, depended on the time taken by the Government to concede the point at issue. It would be a. bi« lhin<r fo<the coal miners if they won the point, because it would have the effect of furthering coal mining, almost on the basis of trade. It was the desire of the men that truckers should be practically apprentices, and should do this work he', fore going on the face. It was reci"nised in the balk of the northern mines including Taupiri, and in some of the southern mines men did trucking a certain distance, for .which they nveivid a certain tonnnge. Speaking of the probable effect* of tho strike, Mr. Manning said that it would readily be conceived that when New Zealand mines could hardly fill orders at the present tune, tho reduction of the supply bv a tnousand tons a day, which was 'the output of the Crcymouth mine, would embarrass consumers considerably, In reply to n question whether there was ' any relation between the Newcastle and CSrcymouth strikes. Mr. Manning said there was none. As a matter of fact * if the New Zealand minora had desired (l to strengthen the hands of the Newcastle men they would have best done it by sending their contribution!), whereas now, if any money were raised, it would " he sent to the State miners. Tt wis £ unfortmmte that the strike hud happened just now in one respect, and that was that it would be used as an argument against the starting of .State *' mines on the other side. o