COAL STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 160, 8 July 1932, Page 5

COAL STRIKE.

HOPE OF SETTLEMENT. WELLINGTON CONFERENCE. RENOWN MINE OPENED. THIRTY MEN WORKING TO-DAY. Prospects of an early termination of tho coal strike are stated to have improved as a result of the conference which is taking place in Wellington today between the representatives of the owners, tho miners, and the Government. An interim report at 2 p.::;. indicated that a move would be made for a final settlement this afternoon of tho outstanding points of difference. In the meantime the Renown mine was opened on behalf of the four Waikato companies affected by the trouble, and was worked this morning with volunteer labour, the activities being confined to the removal to the screening sheds of coal won previously. Thirty men are at work, but the number io expected to bo greater by this evening. No untoward incident occurred. It i* stated that numerous applications have been received at the various offices of the companies in Auckland by men who are prepared to take on any work in tho mine that might be given them. A prior decision by the directors of the Hikuraiigi Co. to work that mine by contract has been suspended pending the outcome of the Wellington deliberatione. Trade Unionists' Protest. A special meeting of Auckland trades union executive members, representing 35 unions, decided to send to the Minister of Labour, the Hon. A. Hamilton, the following resolution: "This meeting of combined executives of Auckland industrial unions regards the efforts of the coal mine owners to recruit free labour ae calculated to prejudice the success of the coal conference convened by you. We strongly urge you to require the cessation of such attitude while the conference is sitting." The meeting considered that, realising the seriousness of the present industrial situation, all trade unions should endorse the finding of the recent open industrial conference in favour of one national industrial organisation.