RUMOURS OF A STRIKE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9150, 24 July 1908, Page 5

RUMOURS OF A STRIKE.

BY TBIjKQEAPH—I'BBSS ASSOCIATION. WANGANUI, July 23. A Southern commercial man, who is on a visit to Wanganui, informs the "Herald" thai he had every reason to believe that a big strikemore or less general in character — was being engineered among the coal miners. "If their plans do not miscarry," he remarked, "I have good authority for saying that the Ist August has been fixed as the date, and most of the South Island miners, and probably mary of the North, will come out. The Government, as well as commercial firms, are anticipating something of the sort," he added, "for they are placing very large orders, both in New Zealand and Australia, for immediate delivery."

AUCKLAND CONFIRMATION

AUCKLAND, July 23. Enquiries in Auckland tend to support the prediction of a coal strike in August. As a matter of tact, large Auckland firms have been getting in heavy supplies to provide against an emergency. WELLINGTON, July 23.

In reference to ttie rumours of a probable strike of coal miners, the Westport Coal Company state that they know nothing at all about such a feeling existing, nor of the firm's laying in large stocks of coal against some such an emergency as suggested in the telegrams. From another source, however, comes information that ever since the Blackball strike there has been uneasiness among miners generally. Further, it is stated that the Governmentrrailways have been buying up all the coal they can obtain, and have had to go out of the Dominion for an order of 10,000 tons of Newcastle coal. It is stated a repeat order of the same quantity is contemplated. There is also an unusual demand for coal from other quarters. 1 CHRISTCHURCH, July 23.

About a mouth ago a conference was held between of the Blackball Miners' Union and of the Company relative to the demand for an increase in wages and other concessions which were being made by the Union. The Union representatives then intimated that if the demands were not granted the matter would be referred to the Miners' Federation of New Zealand, and that body would approach the Company in support of the demands. The miners said that they would not go to the Arbitration Court to decide the matter but to the Federation, and that if the demands were not granted I a strike would probably follow.