UNREST AMONG THE MINERS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 40, 15 August 1918, Page 7

UNREST AMONG THE MINERS

THE DEMAND FOR A CONFERENCE

"Will the minens strike?" This is the question which has been asked everywhere to-day and indicates increased interest in tbe deadlock which has arisen between the Mine Owners' Association, and the Miners' Federation over the latter's request, first for a 20 per cent, increase in. wages, and, second, for a conference to discuss the position. There are some who say that a strike is inevitable, but they content themselves in thte belief that owing to a lack of finances it would not last long. Of course, T.here will be a danger of a strike spreading, but it is a moot point whether the Government will allow matters to reach a serious stage before intervening. There is another section which regards a coal strike as the most unlikely thing to happen in New Zealand to-day. At any rate, it must be admitted that the Hunfcley miners' decision to strike within seven days unless a conference is arranged, came as a surprise to many who thought that the crisis was 1 further off. A Press Association telegram received from Auckland last night stated :— "A mass meeting of miners was held at Huntly to-day, 500 men being present from the Huntly, Te Akatea, Pukemiro, and Rotowaru mines.

"An official statement' says the meeting unanimously repudiated statements by the mine owners that the Federation Executive was responsible for the demands. It "was also unanimously decided by a secret ballot that in the event of a conference not being granted within seven days, the miners would immediately cease work.

- "Work will be resumed to-morrow pending a decision regarding a conference The secretary of the Hikurangi Company has received ••■ word that the miners at Hikurangi have decided to leave the decision legarding a conference in the_ hands of the Miners' Federation. The night shift is to work as usnal this evening." <

Advice received in Wellington to-day was to the effect that work had been resumed at Huntly. There were stop-work meetings of miners all over the Dominion yesterday. but so far no advice has been received in Wellington indicating what decisions were arrived at on the West Coast and in other centres outside the Huntly fields. The Christchurch Sun correspondent from the Coast on Tuesday night that the dispute was then attracting considerable public attention, and that feeling was beginning to run high. He also stated : "Among the miners themselves there appears to be a peculiar unconcern as to the outcome of the argument that is proceeding in Wellington. The writer has discussed the matter with dozens of the rank and file of the miners. Asked what is going to happen, some of them' reply that they are certain that the mine owners will make a concession. Mostly they will answer, 'go-slow.' Then they will dismiss the subject unless the interviewer persists." The West Coast miners' decision is being awaited, with interest, and if it is on the same lines as that reached, at Huntly, it will certainly bring matters to a head at once!