MINERS' DELEGATES CONFER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 119, 16 November 1909, Page 7

MINERS' DELEGATES CONFER.

STATEMENT BY MR. HUGHES. HOPES FOR A pIaCEFUL SETTLEMENT. OPENING FOR GOVERXMEN-T INTERVENTION. SYDNEY, 15th November. The decision of the miners' conference to defer a general strike until another effort has been made to l-each a settlement has relieved an anxious situation. When the conference adjourned tonight, Mr. W. M. Hughes, president of the. Waterside Workers' Union, made an official statement to the effect that replies from all branches of the Waterside Workers' Federation had been favourable to carrying into effect the resolution passed at Tuesday's conference, and it remained only for to-day's conference to recommend that action should be taken. Details were fully discussed, and a determination reached satisfactory to both the seamen' (whose position '"n some respects is different to that of the other waterside workers) and the allied unions. Everything was in readiness to give effect to Tuesday's decision, said Mr. Hughes, but the conference, being desirous of a peaceful and speedy settlement, and not despairing of such, a "consummation, in spite of the mine-owners' refusal of the men's reasonable requests, was very anxious to do everything possible to prevent the dispute extencfing any further, and to enable thoTparties to come together for a peaceful settlement. RESOLUTION ADOPTED. The result of the deliberations was the adoption of the following resolution : — 'That we use every legitimate means to bring about an cpen conference between the mine-owners and the men, and that, failing this, we calf upon the Government to take over and work the mines in the interest of the general community." Mr. Hughes pointed out that this would give Mr. Wade, the Premier, an opportunity of -taking the action which he had declared his Government was ready to take. Mr. Hughes further stated that in the event of negotiations _ failing all was in readiness to call a general strike. He denied the' rumour that the seamen were opposed to a strike, and said they were ready and anxious to come out.