DEADLOCK.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1920, Page 5

DEADLOCK.

WELLINGTON DISLOCATED.

DUE TQ A COAL SHORTAGE. STRIKERS MAY RESUME TO-DAY; By TelenTaph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The coal crisis continues and the position could hardly be more serious. _ Although definite information is no,t available on the point, it is understood that there are possibilities of the watergiders resuming work to-morrow. From what can be gathered it appears that the men are in no way unanimous about refraining from offering themselves for engagement indefinitely, and it is stated that, at a meeting of the union held on Monday, a proposition that the men resume work was lost by about only Li) or 20 votes, the meeting being attended by over 1000 members. Two calls were made to-day for labor to work the Meikai Maru, but th,ere was no response. A meeting of the executive of tho Waterside Workers' Union was held this afternoon for the purpose of discussing the position, and a certain decision was arrived at. This will be submitted in the form of a recommendation to a general meeting of the union to be held at ,8 o'clock tomorrow morning. It is understood that the men will be urged to resume work pending an investigation of the merits of the trouble by the Local Disputes Committee.

A meeting of oniployers was held this afternoon, at which the situation was discussed at length. No decision was reached, the meeting taking the view that any move towards a settlement of the trouble must first come from the waterside™ themselves. "TEe employers take up the attitude," said Mr. Bennett subsequent to tlie meeting, "that until the men go back to work there can be no meeting of the Local Disputes Committee. If the men resume work I am quite prepared to call the Disputes Committee together, and the points over which there is a difference of opinion Can then be discussed."

INDUSTRY PARALYSED. The cutting off of the gas and electric supplies has paralysed numerous industries. Operatives who went to work this morning were told that the factories could not run, as no power was available. Many hundreds of men, women, and young people are conseqeutnly unemployed to-day, and there is no knowing when they will be called back to work.

The pumping plants connected with the supply of water to the high levels will be run until the present stock of coal is exhausted. Only 10 tons are left.

The Citv Council's milk depot ha*, sufficient* coal for tjie next seven days, and, if ilie s'upply is not replenished, the authorities will be faced with the problem of how to provide steam and hot water for cleansmg purposes'. A special meeting of the City Council wats held to-day to consider the situation, but no decision was come p. The Council adjourned until 4 o'clock tjia afternoon, in the hope that there will be a favorable development.

The Mayor said the holding up of the coal supply could not he justified. The proper course would have been to have gone on with the work and submitted the matter to the Disputes Committee. There was no coal for the trams and very little for" the electric light station. Every effort would be made to keep up the supply of light for the hospital. The Gas Company states that it will be quite unable to resume supply until coal comes to hand. . SHIPS. AND TRAMS IDLE. Nearly all the steamers in port are idle. The only ones being worked are those which commenced discharging last week. As the trams were not running, thousands of people were obliged to walk to work this morning. Some employers provided motor-cars for the transport of their hands. There is a great run on candles, oil stoves, and wood. There will be no gas for cookin? and lighting to-night, but the City Council hopes to be able to keep the electric light going for residential premises for the early part of the evening. It transpires that the dispute regarding payment for the discharge of superphosphates brought by the Japanese steamer was referred to the Disputes Committee on Thursday, and that the decision of the* committee was that the agreement rate of 2s ild per hour should be paid, instead of the rate demanded, namely, 3s and Is per hour. The,stoppage of work means a loss in wages alone of Rome thousands of pounds. a day.

Unless power is available, some TJSkerswill be unabie to bake any bread tomorrow.