THE COAL SITUATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1919, Page 6

THE COAL SITUATION.

DEADLOCK REMAINS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Dec. 10The latest exchange of letters by the coal mine owners and the Miners' Federation leaves the situation unchanged. The owners are willing to meet representatives of the Miners' Federation for the discussion of certain points, subject to the general acceptance of the offer already made by the employers. They insist that the resumption of normal work at the mines shall preceed any furWier conference, and they refuse to deal with the Alliance of Labor. The Miners' Federation replies in effect that the conference must cover all the ground, and that the dispute is in the hands of the Alliance of Labor. The deadlock, therefore, remains as before. The next move in the dispute is uncertain. The employers, it is understood, arc not willing to endure present conditions indefinitely, but they are not likely to make any further move this month. Mr. Massey and his Ministers are too busy to give attention to the dispute. There are indications that the miners themselves are by no means satisfied with the course of events. They have been earning much reduced wages for a long time now, and there have been indications at several of the mines that the men are growing tired of this method of bringing pressure to bear upon the employers. But the miners' organisation is Rtrong, and it has powerful backing on this occasion.

The refusal of the mine owners to deal with the Alliance of Labor is regarded in some quarters as had taetics. It is pointed out that the right of industrial organisation has long been possessed by New Zealand workers, and that attempts to place limits on the scope of organisation are not at all likely to be successful in -the long run. The Alliance of Labor exists and its executive has charge of tthe coal miners' dispute. The Prime Minister has already discussed the dispute with the Alliance