COAL INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1919, Page 5

COAL INDUSTRY.

CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON. COAL OWNERS REJECT DEMANDS. AND WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. i By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington-,. August 1. The conference of coal owners and delegates from the Miners' Federation met in Wellington this morning to consider the most recent demands by the latter for improved conditions. Sir (jcorgc Clifford was voted to the chair unanimously. There was a long discussion a 9 to the admission of press representatives to the conference, the coal owners insisting that the press should be present and the federation delegates strongly objecting. Eventually the federation delegates adjourned to consider the matter, and, on returning to the room, announced that the coal question was so important that they had decided to agree to the admission of the press, providing that, in addition to the three daily papers present, Mr. G. pryor (secretary of the Employers' Federation) invited the other Wellington journals—Truth, Maoriland Worker, Railway Review, etc. Then there was the prospect of a further deadlock, a? neither Mr. Pryor nor 'Mr. Arbuckle (the federation secretary) would undertake to communicate with the papers referred to. The chairman valuntecrcd to have these communications sent, and the conference adjourned to allow of tins being done. Wellington, Later. At the Coal Miners' Conference, when proceedings commenced this afternoon, .Mr. Allison stated that before the question of the federation's demands was considered the mine owners had decided to raise the question as to why fresh demands were now being made, seeing that the existing agreements did not expire until six months after the termination of the war; that they had, in fact, about another six months yet to run-

■ Mr. O'Rourke, president of the federation, in reply, said it was only necessary for liim to state that, as far as the rank and file of the Miners' Federation wi\* concerned, they considered that agreement, had expired six months after the armistice. Mr. Allison then read the result of the previous conference between the owners and liter federation, and argued that it tvas evident that the term of the existing agreements had not expired, and the mine owners submitted that the federation must agree that the agreements must be observed for the period for which they were made. At the Coal Miners' Conference, after Mr. Allison's statement, discussion was continued for some time on the manning of the phrase "termination of the war," the owners contending- that it meant when the peace terms were accepted by Germany and the miners''representatives that hostilities actually terminated with (lie signing l of the armistice. The chairman (Sir (jcorgp Clifford) said the difficulty was purely a legal one, mid it would be a fair compromise to refer it to the Solicitor-Qciieral. Mr. Koberts said the federation would not agree to taking any legal opinion. If it was intended that the agreement should e.vist until six months after the declaration of Die peace, why didn't it so state it?

The chairmen said the question would have to bo considered Inter, and then called on the federation to submit its proposals. Mr. o'Ronrko stated that the crux of the. situation lay in the abolition of the contract system and the reduction of hours. They would lie the two knotty problems which would have to be surmounted. The reason why New Zealand found itself in such a bad position regarding cool was because of the bad nature of the conditions of employment nt the mines. The miners wanted good conditions, both inside and outside the mines, but would not concern themselves About the outside until they saw what (steps the Government intended to take. They must improve the conditions for the men who went down into the bowels of the earth to hew coal- They were entitled to special consideration. The demand for £il a day was in consonance with the Government Statistician's report that that sum was now only equal to 12s per diiy. The rank and file had almost unanimously decided against the contract or speeding-up" system, because serious accidents were attributable to it.

Iu reply, Mr- Allison made a lengthy statement denying that the condition's in the mines were bad and quoting the board's report in support. If the coal owners agreed to. the abolition of the contract system they would agree to anything. Were they to understand that under the wage system the miners were not going to work as hard as before? He concluded with the following: "Most careful and serious consideration has been given to the whole position, and the Coal Owners'' Association, realising its duty to its leaders and to the State, generally, has definitely decided that whatever has to be the consequences the principal demands cannot be acceded to or even discussed, The demands particularly referred to are the abolition of the contract system, the reduction bf hours of work, coal hewing only on the day .shift, one shift in twenty-four hours, payment for, holidays, and payment for iime lost. The employers are not prepared to proceed further with tne conference unless the above-mentioned demands are eliminated from the federation's claimsl The employers regret being compelled to adopt this attitude, but knowing, as they do, the serious, far-renching, and disastrous effect which the granting of these demands would have upon the country, they feel it is clearly their duty to adopt the, course indicated," Mr, Arbucklc asked if Mr. Allison could name any mine in which the daily average wage was a-s high as £1 5s to £1 dOs. The average was only 24s 7d, and that was per working day. The miners of Now Zealand had produced the world's record output, and they received the handsome wage of £3 las per weok. The cost of hewing coal was about 3s 2d per ton. If the Minister produced only half that amount under the wago system (he cost would be increased only 3s 2d per ton. Mr. Roberts said he was at a loss to know how Mr. Allison arrived at his marvellous figures. What was being asked now was reasonable and fair,

Mr. Tosland said the serious shortage of coal was due to the shortage of miners, and more men would loave the industry unless the conditions were improved. ■ ■

Mr, O'Brien said they aslced the public to take late e«n»idwatj»a that euii-aPi

£3 108 per ton they were paying for coal the miner received 2a 6d for hewing it, nnd the trucker got a ponny per ton for trucking it n chain. He was sure if a minimum wage was substituted the effect would be beneficial. A reduction of hours was necessary on account of the unnaturalness of the occupation.

Mr. Allison said the miners received a great deal more than 2s Od per ton for getting the coal- The mine, owners had no desire to pay less than a fair wage to the miners. The conditions in New Zealand mines were exceptionally good. There was absolutely no comparison between firoat Britain, where seams were small, and New Zealand, with great seams in the mines here. ' The lion.' Mac Donald remarked on tho serious position in New Zealand, and said the industries must suffer if the concessions were given. The meeting adjourned till to-morrow. THE PURCHASE QUESTION. MR. HOLLAND'S STATEMENT. Wellington, Last Night. ■ Mr. H. E. Holland, MP., takes exception to the statement by the actingchairman of the Board of Trade (Mr. VV. H. McDonald) In the course of his reply to the Woolston Borough Council to the effect that he (Mr. Holland) had "suggested that other industries of the country should bo . taxed to provide funds" to purchase privately owned coal mines, as being incorrect. lie says: "Immediately following the deputation which conveyed to Sir James Allen the unanimous decisions of the two labor conferences in condemnation of the board's scheme, the acting-chairman furnished the press with criticism of the conference's attitude, and to this criticism I replied in the Evening Post of July 18. Nowhere, in my speech to the Minister, nor yet in my reply to the acting- chairman of the board, can there lio found any suggestion that other industries of the country should bo taxed to provide funds. On the contrary, after advocating that the State should take over the mines that are worth while and that the industry should be controlled liy the board, on which the miners would lie adequately represented, I pointed out that the need to borrow money for the purchase of the mines disappears before the fact that New Zealand had, at the end of the last financial vear, a surplus of .ei»,oo(i,ono. I furnished figures showing that probably not more than £1,000,000 would be needed to purchase such mines as have n reasonable length of life, and concluded it would surely be absurd to talk about the need to borrow money at high rates of interest with fifteen times the amount required in the fiovernment coffors. I also furnished figures in connection with the State mines, showing how profitable an investment State coal mining had pioved, despite the charges which had been loaded up against the State mines in favor of the Railway Department, heavy interest charges, and other handicaps. How Mr. McDonald found it possible to road into my statement the suggestion that othef industries ,of .the country should be, taxed to provide funds,is for him to explain."