THE GREYMOUTH STRIKE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9665, 2 December 1909, Page 5

THE GREYMOUTH STRIKE.

NO NEAKER SETTLEMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, December 1. Although the miners have now been out a week the difficulty is no nearer settlement. The whistle at the mine was sounded every morning for work but without result. Already the stonpage of work has had a depress ing effect on business in the district. The State sawmill has ceased work. The valuer for the Government has decided not to recommned any more advances to workers for building houses in the district Ihe amount paid in wages at the mine averages over £SOO per month. The executive of the Miners' Federation will maet at Westport on December 6th, to consider the situation and to decide their future action. WELLINGTON. December 1.

A supplementary order paper issued this evening as to the position at the Point Elizabeth State Mine, says that the Government management at the mine used every endeavour to arrive at a settlement of the dispute between the Miners' Union ana the mine manager. The industrial agreement between the manager and the workers showing tonnage rates for hewing coal and the payment for other classes of labour is quoted as well as the new proposal which provides for the manager doing all the trucking and jigging. To concede this demand, which was the only one not settled before the strike, would have involved an additinal cost of about £4,000 per year. The mine during the last six working months was making no profit. The Government, in view of these facts, considered it impossible to accede to the miners' request, as the wages already earned (14s a day) were fair and reasonable. The Government officials will submit the dispute to arbitration if the men continue to work under the old agreement. The Government, after considering the couises open, decided to refuse the demand, and let the questions be submitted to the Arbitration Court or Conciliation Commissioner. The manager reported that if the concession for trucking and jigging was granted it would increase the men's earnings by about 20 per cent.