WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1917, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

I COAL MINERS' DISPUTE. STILL UNSETTLED. (Special Correspondent). Wellington, May 14. The failure of the Employers' Association and the Coal Miners' Federation to reach an agreement in regard to the matters in dispute "between them does <ot necessarily mean that the country is going to 'be plunged into another wasteful industrial struggle. Both sides are anxious to avoid such a deplorable •outcome as this would be and the Acting Prime Minister is doing his utmost to effect an amicable settlement. Sir James Allen, indeed, has brought down ■upon himself a considerable amount of adverse criticism by his generous interpretation of his compact with the men and it is rumored there was some very plain speaking at his interview with the employers on Saturday evening. THE PRESENT OUTLOOK. The dispute now seta 3 to have reached a stage at which the men must either accept the employers' terms or submit with what grace they can to the intervention of the Conciliation Council and the Arbitration Court. The employers' offer of an additional war bonus of 7$ per c&it,, though it probably does not fully cover the. increase in the cost of living, is not illiberal when the high rate of wages is considered. The men themselves rather discounted the importance of the wages question by their "slow strike" and public sympathy would not ibe with them if they now made it the occasion for involving the community in renewed strife and further loss,'

THE WHEAT QUESTION. Though np announcement of the Hon, W. D. S. Mac Donald's departure for Australia was made in the newspapers, of course the fact of his visit to Melbourne and its purpose were widely known. For some time past the Minister of Agriculture has realised that the response to his appeal to fanners to grow more wheat this season was not sufficiently general to ensure an adequate supply for next year and Australia remains the only source from which the deficiency can be covered. The completion of the negotiations mentioned in the cablegrams this morning will not affect the Government's obligations to those farmers who are growing wheat and the prices guaranteed for the local product will be paid whatever may be the cost of the imported supplies. THE SHIPPING SHORTAGE. The ■ warning issued by the Acting Prime Minister to the effect that the shortage of shipping is '.ikelv to be more acute than ever during the next few months suggests many grave possibilities to producers and holders of stocks. There are large supplies of butter and cheese on hand here which are taxing all the available storage accommodation and the withdrawal of four of the five steamers trading between the Dominion and the West Coast porta of America will considerably aggravate the position. The sole crumb of comfort in the situation is for the local consumer, who may through the congestion of stocks be abb to obtain supplies at lower rates than he lately has been paying.