MR. HUGHES AND THE MINERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2940, 28 November 1916, Page 5

MR. HUGHES AND THE MINERS

INCIDENT AT THE COAL CONFERENCE WAS THE STRIKE A PUT-UP JOB? CONFERENCE AGAIN ADJOURNED By TeleKranli-Pross Assooiation-Gapyrlgist (Rec. November 27, 8.50 p.m.) Melbourne, November 27. During Friday's Coal Conference, Mr. Hughes (the I'ederal Prime Minister) induced the miners' representatives to dispatch telegrams to authorise the handling of coal for the transports and the Small Arms Factory. When the conference opened to-day,.' Mr. "Hughes stated that be had received advices that the men at Lithgow still refused to handle coal which had been declared "black," while certain men in the southern collieries had been forced to cease work. Such intimidation would delay the settlement for some weeks. . A .miners' representative: "Your telegram was a put up job." - Mr. Hughes replied: "There are mnj put up jobs, bix weeks before, the 6trike you told me that if the 'Yes' vote were carried at the Referendum the miners would not work. It is obvious that there is more in this business than meets the. eye." A delegate denied the statement. _ Mr. Hughes: "It is a curious coincidence that at a meeting which was called to discuss conscription, a coal strike was hinted at, and the strike occurred on the very day upon which it was forecasted." The president of tne Miners' Federation practically confirmed the proprietors' fears that the men's full demands have not been disclosed. The president said that the men could not contmus on their present wages, and were prepared to meet the proprietors and discuss the questfon after the hours dispute had been settled and work had been resumed. Mr. Hughes adjourned the conference until late in the afternoon, to enable both sides to put all their on the table and prepare a. set or working conditions, to'hold good until after the war. A 50-PER CENT. INCREASE DEMANDED . (Rec. November 2", 8.50 p.m.) Sydney, November 27. The statement is freely made that the miners are determined to demand a 50 per cent, increase in wages as soon as the present matters in dispute, have been disposed l of. ; This, it is understood, is proving one of the stumbling blocks in the way of a settlement. At meetings of miners lit the Domain yesterday delegates _ stated that the time had come to abolish the arbitration law and for the men to decide their own business. Tho meetings reaffirmed their determination not to return to work until their demands were granted.