COAL SETTLEMENT

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 5 December 1929, Page 5

COAL SETTLEMENT

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MINERS. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegrapu Copyright.) SYDNEY, Dec. 4. Meetings of the miners of the northern coalfields in order to discuss the terms of the settlement of the coal dispute announced last week-end will be iield during the coming week-end. Their delegates to the recent conference are strongly urging acceptance of the terms,'but there is considerable hostility in some quarters and an attempt will be made by militants to have the. terms rejected. The terms, which will become operative on December 9, provide for a reduction of all contract wages by 12£ per cent, and of 6d per ton fi’om the wages of the day-labour employees at the collieries concerned. The owners on thier part agree to submit figures to a committee of employees showing that the reductions mentioned represent 9d per ton on an average over the, whole of the collieries concern eel. The miners undertake not to restrict the output of coal. There was a significant development to-day at Lithgow, in the western districts, where miners at a mass meeting unanimously rejected the terms, and pledged themselves to fight any kind of wage reduction to the bitter end. The position, therefore, is still in the balance. '