THE COAL CONFERENCE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 6 August 1919, Page 7

THE COAL CONFERENCE

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

(BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 6. At the Coal Mining Conference today, Mr Roberts, replying to the own- j ers, said that the Federation did not think the employers' counter-proposals were really counter-proposals, but merely a camouflage of the real position. The owners had made certain statements to the conference and to the press as to the increase in the price of coal and to the decrease in the output which would follow the granting of the men's demands. The miners' representatives were of the opinion that this was based simply on I supposition, and therefore urged that the question be submitted to a Royal Commission, consisting of two representatives of the coal owners, two representatives of the Federation, and an independent chairman to be agreed upon by both sides, the commission to be empowered to have access to all books, documents, and accounts, to inspect mines and mining conditions generally, and report as soon as possible. The Federation agreed to discuss with the representative of the State miners the question of the representation of the miners on the Board

of Control, and also agreed, that the ' other coal mine owners should investigate the same question. The offer made by the owners with respect to loans under the Advances to Settlers was entirely a Government question, | and the question of supervision ought to be considered when the report of the Royal Commission was presented. Mr O'Rourke said that the delegates were prepared to hold over in the meantime the five noints objected to by the owners, and Hoped the owners would discuss the remaining planks in the demands. The conference adjourned until this «r--p,.r,o«n t.-^ g'Vf* the owners an op--1 poi-tunitv tc rcu!v