MINING DIFFICULTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1921, Page 4

MINING DIFFICULTY.

IMPORTANT CONFERENCE 6IX CLAIMS OBJECTED TO. A conference will take place in Wei* lington to-day .between representative? of the New Zealand Coal Mine-owners' Association and of the Miners’ Federation for the purpose of discussing the claims presented by the miners for a new agreement. When the demands were received by the mine-owners, together with a request for a conference, they declined to accede to the latter suggestion until six items, which they considered “revolutionary and far-fetched,” and granted, would result in a great in* crease in the price of coal to the gen< eral public were deleted. The prosper ala to which exception was taken were the six items:— ' 1. The abolition of the contract sys-’ tem.

2. Six-hour day, bank to ban! 3. Five-day week. 4. Abolition of afternoon shi-ft. 5. Payment for holidays. 6. Payment for time lost (minimum weekly wage).

The federation refused to withdraw these claims, and stated that they would take steps to force a conference unless a favorable reply was received within seven days. Ultimately the owners agreed to a conference, but pointed out that they could not conceive any argument that would modify their decision that it was impossible to agree to the six items.