IN THE WORKERS WORLD

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 July 1920, Page 5

IN THE WORKERS WORLD

COAL DISPUTE

ABORTIVE' CONFERENCE

PREMIER HOPEFUL. (Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, July 26. | The Conference of the representative?! of the Coal Owners Association and the Miners’ Federation, with the Premier pres ding, came to an end to-night without any result. It is evidently difficult to reconcile the conflicting opinions as two whole days were fruitlessly spent. The general impression here is that the dispute does not involve the really important mines, hut that the difficulty which endangers the whole industrial peace relates to three or four small collieries. The confer-

ence as constituted during tlie weekend has finished hut the Premier gave some hope of resuming negotiations when lie made the following official statement: * “The conference has been only •partially successful. It may turn out all riarht We will have an ether small meeting on Thursday morning.” PUBLIC SERVANTS’ DISPUTE. AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 25. • A complete agreement as to increases in salary and general conditions has been arrived at between the Government Administrative Board and the Public Service Association of New Zealand. Details of agreement arrived at, and signed for by representatives of tire parties thereto .have been forwarded to the Prime Min'ster, who will

probably make a statement upon the matter in due course. BROKEN HILL STRIKE.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 2b. Mr. J. B. Williams speaking at a meeting of the Broken Hill Distress Fund Committee, gave an unqualified denial to the statement appear.ng in ; the Press to the effect that the Broken Hill strike was nearing its close. He J said that his latest advice was in d.r- - ect contradiction to this statement. He - also emphatically denied a statement published .in the New Zealand Press that collectors in Austrsl'a were receiving commission for taking up colleclions. ■ 1 [Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.] 1 (Received this day at 10.25 a.tn.) i SYDNEY, Th's Day. i The Coalminers Executive considered Mr. Hughes’ proposal and decided

that as the miners had passed a resolution against compulsory arbitration they were unable to accept them until the resolution had been revoked. The district councils are being summoned to consider the position. Mr. Justice Edmonds has been appointed chairman of Broken Hill Com mittee, investigating .the - prolonged strike. OKARITO TIMBER QUESTION. At an Executive meeting of the West land Timber Yards’ and Sawmills Industrial Union of Workers, held on Saturday last, when all members were present, the following resolution was carried unanimously, and the Secretary was instructed to hand same to the Press: “That this full meeting of the Executive of the Westland Timber Workers’ Union places on record its aff .inflation that the statements issued through the Press Association from Hok tika in connection with the Great Western Timber Company’s operations in the flotation of a company at Okarito, South "Westland, were enkrelv untrue, and that the statements made by the

Secretary of the Union have the fall support of the organisation ; further that no member of the Executive has ever made use of the statements i 1 alleged and circulated and that this Union pledges itself to see that this large timber area is not exploited by a ■ section of caphalists to th° detriment of the reople of New Zealand, but that; it shall be conse-vod and used for the benefit of the community to whom it rightly belongs.”

GERMAN MINERS. (Australian and N, Z. Cable Association.) BERLIN, July 26. A conference of the delegates of the Ruhr miners advocated the speedy socialisation cf the mining industry, and unanimously resolved protesting against the occupation of the Ruhr district, affirming their willingness to increase the coal output in order to meet the Entente’s demands, and also Germany’s home consumption and the contracts with Poland, Switzerland and Scandinavia, if better food is provided.