COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1918, Page 5

COAL MINERS' DISPUTE.

MASS MEETING OF MINERS. DEMANDS A CONFERENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Aucklaud, Last Night. A mass meeting of miners was held at Huntly to-day, 500 men being present from Huntly, Te Akatea, Pukemiro and Rotowaru mines. An official statement says that it unanimously repudiated the statements by the mine owners that the federation executive is .responsible for the demands. It was also unanimously decided by a secret ballot that, in the event of the conference not being granted within seven days, the miners immediately cease work. Work is being resumed to-morrow, pending a decision re the conference. "The Secretary of the Hikurangi Company has received word that the miners 'at Hikurangi decided to leave the decision regarding the. conference in the hands of the Miners' Federation, the night shift to work,aa usual this evening. THE HffiURANGI MINES. "• " \\%angarei, 'August 14. Employees at the Hikurangi Coal Company's mine ceased work at midnight, and held a meeting at'lo o'clock this morning. They decided to resume work this afternoon^

The men employed, : a£ the Northern Company's mines at* Hiknrangi ana Kiripaka were not as they are working on contract.

A WEST COAST STRIKE., Christehurch, August 14. Tt is reported that trouble h&x arisen at the Avoca mine, on the West Coast. The men asked that truck men and shift men should alternate their duties. The management does not consider this practicable, preferring to keep the men employed at the work for which they prove suitable. Twenty-five men were idle yesterday. There ia a meeting to-day to' discus the position,