COAL MINERS

Evening Star, Issue 16409, 27 April 1917, Page 3

COAL MINERS

BEACHING THE LIMIT. [Special to the ‘ Stae.’] WELLINGTON, April 27. Tlie news that the men employed at the State mines had suspended work as a protest against being required to make some small sacrifice in connection with the new railway arrangements came as a shock to political and business circles here. The available information regarding the new strike is slight, and in the meantime judgment is being suspended, but undoubtedly there is a strong feeling locally that the Government went to the extreme limit of conciliation in the agreement made with the miners last weak, and that any further attempt to hamper the Dominion at a most critical stage of the war should be resisted with all the power at the disposal of the Government, . “If the miners have gone on strike because they object to some slight curtailment of their railway privileges in war time, iu order that men may be released for the forces, then their conduct is treasonable,” said a well-known business man yesterday. “There is no other word for it. I have been connected with efforts to avert industrial troubles in war time. I have had some part in the settlement of disputes that threatened to have serious consequences within recent months, but I say unhesitatingly, as a man who stands to lose a good deal by a coal strike, that the Government have no right to temporise with persons whose line of conduct in war time is definitely antiBritish. The miners are playing the enemy’s game, and the interests' and the good name of Now Zealand demand that this sort of tiling should be stopped. The community are not helpless in the face of a coal strike. The Government can assert their authority, and in doing so they will have the hearty and determined support of 90 per cent, of the people of New Zealand.” WILL NOT RETURN TO WORK UNLESS DEMANDS ARE CONCEDED. [Per United Press Association.] GREYMOUTH. April 25. The Runanga Miners’ Executive was in toueli with Wellington to-day, and held a meeting to-night, at which it, was decided not to resume 'work to-morrow unless the Railway Department’s attitude regarding workers’ tickets is changed. AUCKLAND COLLIERIES. AUCKLAND, April 25. Work is now proceeding in all the mines in the Waikato, the Waipa men resuming to-day, after being on strike since April 16. CONFERENCE HELD YESTERDAY. WELLINGTON, April 26. Sir James Allen and the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald met the mine owners yesterday and to-day, and discussed the question of another conference with the miners regarding wages and working conditions. Sir James Allen says that a conference will he held. The last conference was abortive. The nien asked for an increase of 17i per cent, in wages in addition to a war bonus of 10 per cent., and other concessions. It is expected that the conference of owners and minors will be held within the fortnight stipulated in the agreement on which the strike terminated.