THE COAL TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1920, Page 4

THE COAL TROUBLE.

NO AGREEMENT YET. 1 PREMIER SEEKING SETTLEMENT. (By Wire.—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Lait Night. The coal conference sat late to-night. Mr. Massey was not present but was available in ca«e his services were required. Other sittings will require to be held. The parties, it is understood, have not yo', made much progress towards a settlement, but the Prime Minister has urged them very strongly not to part without an agreement.

THj,: CONTRACT SYSTEM. By Telegraph,—Pfess Association. Wellington, Feb- l:i. The Cool Conference met yesterday afternoon under W. Massey'a chairmanship and committees were set up to ;deal; with different asj>ectg of the ques* tions at issue. The conference then ad" journed till to-day. It is understood! that when the conferenoe met the coal owners broached the question of the contract system, "desiring to clear tha ground as soon as possible by discussion, but the miners strongly opposed contract, preferring the wages system. Jt is believed further representatives of both .sides may be presont to-day. Committees set up yesterday to consider various aspects of the dispute reported to the conference to-day and a general discussion was continued. Tt is considered certain, that, the coin ferenee will extend into* next week. Meantime, it is being conducted in a, friendly spirit, but with the delegates so intimately acquainted with the details involved it is only to be expected that each aspect will be debated fully*

MINERS' WAGES. STATEMENT BY TIIEIR SECRETARY* Wellington, Feb. 13. Mr. Arbnckle, secretary of the Minors' Federation, in reply to the Weifare League, states that ho is prepared 60 donate £5 to the Wellington Hospital, conditional on the League writer doing the same if the statement is incorrect that the wages earned aro just the same to-day as before the conference took place regarding rates. He says that i n a typical section in the Denniston mine, of 40 men on coal M received Is lid per ton and an added bonus of 25, not 35 per cent. He gives instances of earnings as . T "'° men produced 1(& tons in 11 days, after deductions for explosives, light, etc., they hail £3 6s . a , weok In other eases men working in what rliey contended to be difficult Place, enrne.! £1 8s lid per week and J.h od per week respectively.