POSITION ON THE WEST COAST

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 41, 16 August 1918, Page 8

POSITION ON THE WEST COAST

MATTERS IN THE HANDS OP THE

FEDERATION

The result of a, ballot taken among the West Coast inineia on Wednesday on the question as to whether future negotiations with the mine owners should be left with the Miners' Federation is not known definitely in Wellington. It is understood, however, that a-largeroajority voted '("Yes," and that, failing a conference being arranged between the federation and tha mine owners, work will probably cease about the middle of next week. Such a decision would be on exactly the' same lines as that reached by the Huntly miners at their stop-work meeting on Wednesday. It would seem, therefore, that a . definite policy has-been arrived at by all 4h'e r ' miners.' '■ The,, Press,, Association supplied the following-report of the meeting of the employees of the. State mine : —"The ■pos^prC ya£ -.considered in all its phases, and it was finally decided to leaver the! matter entirely in the hands of the' Federation of Labour. The men resumed, work this morning as usual, and.'Vill 1 await further developments. A stop-work meeting at Blackball decided oiv the same lines." A Miners' Union official at Blackball informed a Ohristchureh Sun representative that the ballot taken at the stoo,work'meetings on the Coast would, if the affirmative .was carried, authorise the federation to take any action it deemed necessary, if a. settlement with the owners was not effected. Commenting on the general position,' the Sun correspondent 1, added; "The position is not improving, and an acute crisis is approaching ',unless/Government action is taken."