THE COAL MINES DISPUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1918, Page 4

THE COAL MINES DISPUTE.

THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION

A ROYAL COMMISSIOy THREATENED. ,

J)y Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. The decision of the Government in the coal mines trouble is that if the mineowners do not agree to meet the dele-i gates of the Miners' Federation in conn ference, a Royal Commission is to be set up to investigate all the items in the total cost of coal to the consumer, ineluding the hewing rates paid to miners. One of the conditions to be insisted on is that the men must go back to work at once.

Messrs. Semple, O'Rourke and Parry have agreed to this condition, and. left for the coast after telegraphing a jequest to the strikers to go back to work. The mine-owners meet on Wednesday to consider the suggestions of tla Government. The proposed constitution, of the commission is that two representatives of the miners and two of. the own-. ers are to be chosen by the two bodies interested, and thesa four members ara to elect a fifth to sit as chairman. It iSiCspected that the miners on. strike will return to work next week.

ffiCRET CONFERENCE UJi WESTFORT.

Westport, August 23. A conference ia-Jbeing held here today; between mine managers and all the d<|-'. puties from Stockton and deputy repre- i sentatives from all the district mines. Many colliers have come into town and i appear quite indifferent to matters. A ; combined meeting of colliers resident at<i Millerton and Granity yesterday ;hy 2GB votes to (lis not to resume work. It is difficult to find out the exact nature ', | of the ballot put to the men. If something is not done, even Westport will experience a coal shortage 'before long. There is practically no storage, and suppliesare becoming very Km. ited.

It is understoood that Mr. Semple has sent a plea to the maiers to continue working in the meantime until some definite arrangements have ibeen come to in Wellington. It is understood there is to be a conference of all deputies today in connection with the Stockton dispute, to decide upon what further course to take. This is outside the matter of the conference reported to befitting. Developments are anxiously awaited by tradespeople.

SETTLEMENT REACHED AT WESTPORT. Westport, Last .Night. A meeting of mine managers and deputies representing the Buller and Grey districts was held in Westport this afternoon in reference to the- dispute- at the Westport-Stockton Company's mine,.andj it is understood that an amicable -settle-; ment was Teached, and that the deputies' Will resume work on Monday. Millerton is still idle, but Denniston U working away as usual.

POSITION AT: STATE MINE. % Greymouth, Last Night. A meeting of the State Miners'' Union was to have been held to-night, hut it 1 / was sut off on receipt of a telegram from Wellington, which intimated that members of the federation would arrive, here on Saturday evening, and confer with the miners on Sunday, putting t>e« fore them the Government} proposals. The State miners- will he- working to-day.; Word has been received here that.the Stockton- trouble'la. settled, and/flwftwdjsi will /be>. resumed on Monday,- .- <*£? *