A CAMOUFLAGE?

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 31, 6 August 1919, Page 7

A CAMOUFLAGE?

MINE-OWNERS' COUNTER.

PROPOSALS

REPLY BY MINERS' FEDERATION

DEMAND FOR A ROYAL COM-

MISSION.

The Mining Conference, held to consider the demands for a new agreement made by the Miners' Federation, was resumed in the Chamber of Commerce at 10 o'clock this morning. Sir George Clifford, Bart., presided, and the federation' representatives made reply to the counter-proposals and arguments submitted by the mine-owners yesterday. Mr. J. Roberts (Alliance of Labour) put forward the reply to the owners counter-proposals, and in doing so said the federation did not consider the counter-proposals as such. Really, they were not counter-proposals at all, but merely a camouflage of the real position. He read the following statement which the federation delegates had prepared : REPLY TO EMPLOYERS'. COUN- '' TER-PROPOSALS. 1. That in view of the fact of the Federation being unable to have access to the books' and accounts of the coal mine-owners, it would be useless to agree to the appointment of a Government nominee to decide the difference of opinion regarding the cost per ton for coal production and the decreased output if the miners' demands were granted. However, as the coal mine-owners have made certain statements to the conference and the press, as to the increase in the price of coal and the decrease in the output, which the granting of the miners' demands would entail, the miners' representatives are of the opinion that these statements are-based solely on the supposition' that there would be an enormous decrease in the output of coal under a "day wages" system, and in order that a true and indisputable decision regarding this question may be arrived at, the federation urges that— (a) A Royal Commission be appointedl to inquire into and' report on the coal-mining industry. (b) The personnel of such Commission be—two representatives nominated by the coal owners, two representa- ■ tives' nominated by the Miners' . Federation, and an independent > chairman agreed on .by both parties. . Failing an agreement on the selection of a chairman the question be decided by the Minister of Mines. ' . (c) The Commission be empowered to have access to and inspect all ■ books, documents, accounts, etc., of alHhe coal-mining companies, to examine witnesses, inspect mines, and mining conditions generally, and to issue a report thereon as soon as.possible.. -" 2. That as the offer made by the employers only suggests that an agreement be made in the light of labour conditions generally and the increased cost of living, we fail to see how thesuggestion contained in the employers' v counter proposals—clause I—would affect a settlement of the dispute on the lines suggested in clause 2. 3. The federation agrees to discuss with the representatives of. State mines the question of a representative of the l miners on the Board of Control. We further agree that the other coal mine- '. owners shall be allowed time to make .further investigations on this, question, - and the representatives of the miners -. are.prepared to discuss the question of representation; on the Board of Control at any time the coal mine-owners may decide. We do not, however, consider that this question, should in any way prevent an industrial agreement being arrived at during the present confer- ■ ence. 4. The coal question is of such vital importance that, in the opinion of the federation, the housing question and proper sanitary conditions in all mining towns is a work which the Mining and Health Departments of the Government should see is undertaken immediately. The offer made by the coal owners, in respect to loans'under the Advances to Settlers Act, is entirely a Government question, and therefore ■ cannot be conceded by the coal mineowners. , 5. The question of superannuation to be considered when the report from the Royal Commission on the Mining Industry is presented. COUNTER-PROPOSALS NOT ACCEPTABLE. "That," said Mr. Roberts, "is the reply to your counter-proposals. As a matter of fact, the proposals of. the ' owners yesterday contained nothing at all as far as the industrial agreement was concerned." In addition, he said .7 they had not had the opportunity of getting the necessary data. They wanted - to give the public of New Zealand the. 7 opportunity of considering the question from the point of view of the miners, and they could not entertain any other suggestion. The workers did not agree that there would be a decrease in the .. output; they contended that thero would be an increase in output rather than a decrease. The federation had discussed very fully the counter-proposals, which it had been decided were not acceptable. They had, however, listened to the owners' arguments regarding the abolition of the contract system. They had said that the fine paints which the owners objected to could not be discussed, unless they were withdrawn. " We want to indicate' that if you are prepared, sincerely and honestly, to enter . into an agreement with the minors, such an agreement can be gona into, but if you are going to bring down from day ' to day a bunch of figures to settle the dispute you are going the wrong way to got a settlement of the troubles." Ho had induced the miners to mako certain offers. That was the full extent to which he was prepared to go. The miners had been asking for four days, for something definite. "You have given us nothing definite, except figures," concluded Mr. Roberts. TEMPORARY WITHDRAWAL OF THE FIVE POINTS. Mr. O'Rourke (president of the Miners' Federation) said: "I want to tell you candidly that there was absolutely nothing contained in your proposals upon which we could cease iii our endeavour to heal the breach or get over the difficulty." The Miners' Federation, he added, had indicated that it was very much troubled over the coal question in New Zealand. They had no desire to see an upheaval. They did not want to see the people of New Zealand "starved" for coal, and they sincerely believed.that if they were given some kind of. con- > sideration, the . outside, people would seriously consider the better organisation of the mines, and the calamity that existed in New Zealand to-day would not continue. They contended that if the men working in the mines were given better conditions there would be a more plentiful supply of men. They claimed that it was on account of the bad conditions .that men would, not go in..' for mining.' As soon as a miner had the opportunity 'to get into other industries they left coal-mining, and therefore mine-koour was unprocurable. They had endeavoured to find . more miners, but had been unable to do

so. In order to bring about a satisfactory arrangement they had decided to hold over, in the meantime, the five points objected to, and to consider the remaining'planks in their demands. If the! owners did not accept, the onus would-be'on their heads. "I hope," he said, in .conclusion, .7'you ".,people will seriously consider the remaining- planks in the proposed agreement. If the rank and file will not accept the agreement wo can do no more. But it .will be for the rank and file to say." OWNERS WANT FURTHER. ADJOURNMENT. The Hon. E. W. Alison stated, that bavin" heard the statements of the federation, the coal-owners now. suggested an adjournment to consider these. Theywould require sufficient time, say, until 2 o'clock this afternoon. . Mr. Roberts said that the coal-owners had a right to an adjournment, but if.it would only result in another mass. of figures it might as well, not take place. He hoped that the owners would indicate definitely what action they were prepared to take. There had been quite enough talk to Hansard. Mr. Alison said that as far as his side was concerned, there had been no talk to Hansaixl.' He understood that the federation was now prepared that the five points deferred to should be eliminated foi- the. time being, which meant, he thought,'-. that they would not.be discussed at the present'conference?.'"" Mr. O'Rourke : That is for the men to say.. ANY INCREASE WILL BE PASSED ON. Mr. 'Alison said that the owners must have a right to argue upon their own lines. The coal question was a matter which affected every man, woman, and child in the Dominion. An increase in the cost of production - -must of necessity mean an increase in the price of coal. Then there would be no alternative but for the owners ,to pass that, increase on to the public. Therefore any suggestion made at the conference which might cause an increase, in tho cost must be carefully considered. "Wo are not fighting in our own interests," he said. "There is a large 'body of workers- which is just as much interested in the: price of, coal as others. The question, I say, is one affecting every man, woman, and child in the Dominion." "NEAT LITTLE SPEECH TO HANSARD." Mr. Roberts said that Mr. Alison always thought there was a nigger in the wood pile when the federation made a statement. Mr. Alison's speech was about the neatest little speech to Hansard that he had ever heard. The miners said that if the - conditions at the mines were improved the coal output would be increased. They were satisfied that the general public would be prepared, to'pay a little bit more if necessary. They wanted to get 'on with the conference-^to cut out the Hansard business and get on with the discussion. A hundredweight of figures was of no use to any housewife. They agreed with the adjournment, but he reiterated that it would be a waste of time to bring down another set of figures based on supposition. They had no "objection to any other figures which .the owners might produce. • -■•- •• ,7 ■ Sir George Clifford : , Impartially_p7l , believe that there should be an adjournment. If there is an adjournment I do not think- there should be any'conditions on either side. , Mr. Roberts : Of course not. An adjournment until 2 o'clock this afternoon was agreed to. The conference* had not resumed up to the time of The Post going to press, as the mine-owners' reply was not quite completed.