COAL MINES IDLE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16298, 23 August 1918, Page 6

COAL MINES IDLE.

A VERY SERIOUS POSITION. GOVERNMENT OFFER A ROYAL COMMISSION. FORESIGHT OF COAX COMMITTEES (SPECIM- TO "TOE FRESS. tt ) WELLINGTON, August 22. The Millerton, Stockton, Blackball, and Paparoa miners wore on striko today. These mines employ about n thousand men, and- the output from them is rather more than a third of the total output from the mines of New Zealand. The position i 6 really very serious.

In tho meantime, negotiations are still going on between the miners' representatives and the Minister of Mines. It is probably at the suggestion of Messrs Semplo and Co. that the Minister has made the proposal, to tho owners of tho coal that they should n»oet the men, or that in the alternative there should be a lt-oyal Commission to investigate the whole business. Tho owners can have nouiiug to say about the Royal Commission idea, but it i& certain tnat beloro they agree to anything at all they will insist upon the condition that the men shall go back to work at once. The owners linve not yot had time to consider the now request of the Minister, and if they should think that it is worth consideration, it will be necessary to convene a meeting of tho executive of the Coalmine Owners' Association as goon as tljo members of tho committee can bo brought together, which will bo some time in next week. Whether they will agree to this new proposal of tho Governmontj that theie should bo a conference, is, of course, uncertain. It is a faot, however, that they have not been taken by surprise by this strike, »and that they aro not at all agitated about it.

Tne coal committees have comc in for a deal of abuse in recent weeks, but we may have reason to thank them in tlie course of a fcw_ days. One of the aims of the committees has been to build up stocks of coal lor essential industries, such as transport and lighting services and freezing works. They have not taken the public into their -confidence as to what they have succeeded in doing, but it is understood that the supplies for these purposes.arc considerable. It is not now to be feared that there will bo any calamitous results from this strike, such, for instance, as tho loss of the largo quantities of produce in the cold stores, but there will be l»ss coal for tho ordinary householder. Tho cffoct of the strike will be felt most severely by the women who keep house, but, taking no account of discomfort, tho country is really in a very fair position to stand a siege. There is no news of any intention on tho part of the Government to put into operation those of the war regulations framed and enacted to deal with just such an emergency as has now arisen.

(press association- telegram.) WELLINGTON, August 22. It is stated that the Government has conveyed to the representatives of tho miners and mine-owners an offer to set up a Royal Commission to enquire into the wages dispute. It is not known how cither side will regard the proposition. Mr Semple stated to-day that the Federation was endeavouring to prevent the threatened stoppage of work at. the mims. . Referring to the stoppage at Millerton, Mr Semple said it was likely that the; trouble there was local, and had nothing to do with the larger issue. ATTITUDE OF STATE MIXERS. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) GREYMOUTH. August 22. A meeting of the Blackball and PapaToa miners decided not to return to work until a 20 per cent, increase in wagea is granted. Later. Representatives from tho Blackball and Roa miners who ceased work this morning, paid a visit to tho State mine to-day, and waited on tho Miners' Union there. The result is that a stop-worlc meeting will bo held to-morrow to further consider the question, but the State miners are not out yet. I Local Press opinion 16 in complete agreement with tho coalminers on the I question of a conference, which it- is ! considered the mine owners should forthwith concede.

THE WESTPORT MINES. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WESTPORT, August 22. The iJenniston colliery is working as if nothing had occurred. Stockton remains idle. Millerton and Granity will hold a meeting this afternoon to decide whether to go back to work or not. WESTPORT BOROUGH COUNCIL OPINION*. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAU.) WESTPORT, August 22. The Westport Borough Council last evening passed tho following resolution unanimously: "That this council, as representative of tho citizens of Westport, is of opinion that tho Government should msiit upon the coal-mine owners of tho Domimon ( immediately meeting in conference the representatives of the coal-miners, with a view to a settlement of tho dispute between the two organisations."