COAL MINES DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 279, 14 August 1918, Page 6

COAL MINES DISPUTE

GOVERNMENT REQUESTED TO INTERVENE. Auckland, August 13. . A request that the Government should liiterveuu in the dispute between the Coal Mine Owners' Association and the Miners' Federation was made to the lion. W. D. S. jMacDonald by a deputation from the National Executive of the I'ederutiojn of Labout. The Minister said the Government intended to see thai thero was no exploitation by the owners of mines. Ho admitted that consumers were paying a high price for coal, but he was not able to say. if the middleman was making exoessive profit The Board of Trade, with the assistance of an expert, was at present inquiring into this matter. The Minister assured the deputation of his 110 said he was hopeful that something would yet be done to avert the dislocation of the industry. . MINERS TO HOLD STOP-WORK MEETINGS. By- Telegraph—Press Association • ; Auckland, August 13. It is reported that/stop-work meetings will bo held to-morrow by the miners at Waikato and Hikurangi collieries, to consider what action should be taken .in view of the refusal of the Owners' Association to meet the Miners' Federation GOVERNMENT RECOMMENDED TO CONTROL THE INDUSTRY. Christchurch, August 13. A meeting of employees at Aldington Workshops, held at the lunch hour today, passed a resolution staling that it viewed with alarm the attitude adopted by the coal mine owners in not meeting the Miners' Federation in conference, and thereby helping to alleviate a serious industrial crisis. Tho meeting recommended the Government to take over control of the indu9try. «. BLACKBALL TROUBLE SETTLED. Greymouth, August 13. A conference 'was held at Blackball this morning between a representative of the Miners' Union and the icompany, at which an officer of the Labour, Department and the Inspector of Mines were present, and tho matter in dispute was amicably settled.