COAL STRIKE THREAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1919, Page 4

COAL STRIKE THREAT.

AUSTRALIA'S EXPORTS TO NEW ZEALAND. PROTEST BY MINERS.By Telegraph.—Press Asia.—Copyright. Received Oct. 23, 12.40 a.m. Sydney, Oct. 22. The Secretary of the Coal Miners* Federation wroto to Mr. Hughes and to the owners' representatives drawing attention to the unrest developing in the northern fields owing to the increasing export of coal to New Zealand, which, it was alleged, New Zealand coal owners were using to defeat the miners, who are endeavouring to obtain increased wages and better conditions. Therefore the members of the Australian Federation were not/prepared to produce coal for that purpose. He urged colliery proprietors to cease shipping coal to New Zealand until the dispute was settled, failing which there was a danger of the local miners ceasing work. The owners replied that it wae Impossible for them to accede to the request. In fact they hoped the Nw* Zealand demand for Australian cotj would increase as a long time must ensue before the collieries would reach the standard of pre-war export trade,' Moreover, New Zealand was also importing American coal and- the stoppage of supplies from Australia would ban* dicap local industry,