WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 7 September 1918, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE COAL CRISIS, SETTLEMENT IN SIGHT. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Sept. 4. It is tolerably safe now 'to say that a settlement of the coal trouble is in sight. The more obstinate of the miners delayed their determination to return to work so long that a majority of the representatives of the owners had left Wellington before it was officially known; but they will meet here early next week for the purpose of conferring with, the men- The representatives of the Miners' Federation have just "arrived from Greymouth, and, judging from a statement made by Mr. R- Semple, they will enter the conference with a sincere desire to avoid industrial strife. Mr. Semple protests that the attitude of the federation has been persistently misrepresented by a section of the press, but he does not hold the owners responsible for this, and he believes that in around-the-table discussion it will be possible to settle the matters in dispute on a basis satisfactory to both parties. The spirit of the men's delegates at the moment is distinctly conciliatory.

MUNICIPAL MILK.. It is beginning to look as if the efforts of the Wellington City Council to evolve a satisfactory milk supply scheme for the city were going to bo crowned with success. The failure of its previous efforts in this direction had Jeft the pubb'e a little scepticaj as to its ability to carry its proposal through, but it now has got to the length of purchasing premises and appointing an assistant manager, and the citizens are awaiting further developments with renewal interest. The scheme cannot be in full "operation for d month or two yet, but as a result of negotiations between the council's milk committee and the farmers the wholesale price has been substantially reduced and the consumers will get the benelit of this concession at once- Of late years Wellington has been singularly backward in municipal enterprise, allowing most of the other large centres to leave it behind in this respect, but should its milk scheme succeed it will make amends for much of its past neglect.