THE MINERS' STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1917, Page 5

THE MINERS' STRIKE.

ANOTHER GRIEVANCE. PAPAROA MEN GO OUT. CONFERENCE MAY BE AFFECTED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Yesterday. The news was received here to-day with extreme disgust that the Paparoa miners had gone on strike over a question of the payment to be allowed for certain timbering-work. The timbering question is not new, and is a burning question at Paparoa. It was fully discussed at the last conference, but the employers would not concede the demands of the men. The owners say the work is included in the hewing of coal, and is paid for in the hewing rate. This timbering question was to come before -lie conference which was stipulated for in the recent agreement. It is considered to be. now open to owners to regard this strike as a breach of the undertaking, and to refuse the conference. The conference was to have Deen held on May 10, but there is a possibility that this arrangement will be disturbed. The Government is also concerned, for the Ministers who.went to the West Coast agreed not to press for penalties against the men in court. If the strikes recur it will be open to the Government to instruct the Crown Solicitor to ask for penalties if the Court thinks fit. MEN RETURN TO WORK. Wellington, Later. The Paparoa miners, who struck work to-day on the question of payment for certain timbering work, which lias been subject for discussion at a previous conference, decided to-night to return to work to-morrow, pending n conference to be held on May 9, but on condition that the increase, if granted by the conference, will date from to-morrow. For the" present the men are resuming on the old rates.

i fj MEN RESUME. Greymouth, April 30. Both of the State mines resumed work to-day after a three days' strike as a protest against the alteration of th« rules concerning workmen's tickets. At a meeting of miners on Saturday a tele- ! gram waa received from Sir James Allen which is said to have been in the nature of an ultimatums. It is generally conceded that the strike resulted in a; win ! for the Railway Department. OFFER TO PURCASE MINE. Wellington, April 30. Mr. R. Wilson, of R«efton, managing director of the Keep-It-Dark and othWest Coast mining companies, is visiting Wellington with Kr. J. B. Laurenson, m>- | sident of the Canterburylndustrial Association. The object of the visit is understood to be to submit an offer to Cabinet, on behalf of New Zealand capitalists, to purchase the State coal mine at Runanga. A conference has been arranged with the Government and it is understood that satisfactory financial arrangements can be made. If the Government will agree plenty of labor will be available to carry on -he industry.