COAL INQUIRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 May 1925, Page 5

COAL INQUIRY

UNDER SECRETARY’S EVIDENCE. (Per Pres* Association.) ; , ■; ■ — i *. .WELLINGTON, May 15. The Boarci of Inquiry into the; use of New Zealand coal on locomotive engines on New Zealand, railways, heard evidence here to-day. Mr 11. D. Thomson, Under-Secretary Ifor Immigration, said that since 1922 no .special inducement had been made to bring miners to New Zealand. < In 1922- 307 miners.- came .here, in 1923- 277, and in 1924-25, 269, _ a total of 943. There had been no special requisition for miners by the companies. The arrivals of miners are now dropping off- About two years ago, he was advised he had; better tell miners intending coming here that -they might not be fully'employed, as the miners then were working short time. 1n.4919 inquiries to the .Government proposed that New Zealand should take 500 Cornish miners, but this offer was turped down. t HOMELAND DEVELOPMENTS. (Australian and ‘N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, May 14,. While owners and miners are conferring in' connection with the means of reviving the coal industry, wherein unemployment is increasing weekly, there is a growing disposition among the. men to bargain separately. A thousand miners at Pegswood Colliery, Northumberland, have now accepted a 121,;-per cent wages reduction which iVill permit the collieries to -re open on Monday. ! . ■ '...