NO COAL STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1920, Page 5

NO COAL STRIKE.

AGREEMENT REACHED, i RESULT OF CONCILIATION. By Telegraph.—.Press Association, Wellington, Last Night, Immediately the House of Representatives resumed this evening, Mr. Massey stated he was glad to be able to inform the House that considerable progress had been made in the settlement of the coal difficulty. He explained that since he had not been able to give personal attention to the matters in dispute, Mr. P. Hally had been appointed to look into the matter, and during the past ten. days he had been busily engaged thereon. Mr. Hally now reported to him that, subject to certain conditions which had been satisfactorily settled, both parties to tl"» dispute at the Green Island and Tarata mines now agreed to accept his decision, and he would now proceed to make an award in a few days. Mr. Massey added that the matters in dispute were not in themselves of great importance, but were likely to develop into serious difficulties, and he ; considered Mr. Hally had shown great good sense in adjusting them; he had dons good work. NEWCASTLE EMBARGO. I NOT BEEN LIFTED YET. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. \ ' i (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. I Mr. Luke asked the Prime Minister is the House to-day whether the CommonI wealth Government had removed the embargo on the export of Newcastle coal | to New Zealand, and whether he would ascertain the accuracy or otherwise of I the published statement that Sweden j had contracted to purchase 159,000 tons of Newcastle coal. Would the Prime Minister ascertain, also, the price at | which the coal was being sold to Sweden ? Mr. Massey replied that the statement thnt Sweden had purchased a large quantity of Australian coal was correct. He was not at the moment sure of the exact quantity or the price. With regard to the other part of the question, the embargo on the export of Australian coal had not been lifted. Ho had told the House a few days ago that, in response to enquiries he had made, lie had received a reply from Mr. Hughes which wa3 "satisfactory ao far as it went." It was satisfactory so far as the immediate needs of the country were concerned. There were four steamers at Newcastle now waiting cargoes of eoal for Now .ieriland: He had telegraphed Mr. Hughes asking that these ships should be given their cargoes. He had arranged that a representative of the Railway Department should go to Newcastle to look into the position, and to endeavnr to secure coal for New Zealand.