COAL DEADLOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 191, 13 August 1919, Page 7

COAL DEADLOCK.

AN ABORTIVE CONFERENCE. OWNERS' OFFER REJECTED. A SERIOUS SITUATION-. (By Telegraph.—"*«"«« Association.) WELLINGTON", Tuesday. The conference which has been sitting for a fortnight in connection with the coalminers' dispute ended to-day without coming to a settlement. On Saturday the coal owners made an offer to the "'Miners' Federation representatives of i 10 per cent increase to contract work.TS, who are chiefly miners working on coal at the face, and 15 per cent to shift wages men, the percentages to be on the pre-war rates, and payable as an increased bonus.

To this offer the federation replied yesterday with a set of counter-proposals. In these they asked for the same wages for all mine workers, other than men working on the face, as they had asked in the first instance, and for the faceworkers and others not specified they asked for an increase of 25 per cent in the rates, the same to be permanent additions to wages and not payable by way of bonus.

The coal owners replied to-day that they could not increase their 'first offer. An appeal was made by the Hon. E. W. Alison on behalf of the coal owners to the federation tn recommend the unions to accept the offer and to remain at work in view of tho very serious position of the country through lack of coal at present. The federation representatives withdrew to consider the matter, but on their return they informed the owners that they could not recommend the unions to accept the offer. They then left the room, and the conference ended. ,