THE COAL STRIKE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9138, Issue 9138, 10 February 1910, Page 7

THE COAL STRIKE.

MEETING OF THE WAGES BOARD. (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright./ (Per Press Association.) NEWCASTLE. Feb. 9. When the Wages Board met, Mr Charlton, M.L.A., at the miners' request, applied for an adjournment for a week with a view to a possible early resumption of work. He said that the result of the ballot recommended to the Delegate Board would be known on Wednesday. The president replied that he could not grant an adjournment on the, ground asked, and suggested that Mr Charlton use hie efforts to secure consultation between representatives of the two sides, himself offering to act as mediator. He believed such a consultation would speedily settle the majority of the grievances, and granted an adjournment till to-morrow to allow Mr Charlton to consult the miners.

THE TRIAL OF THE STRIKE LEADERS. SYDNEY, Feb. 9. In the conspiracy cases each of the five accused made a statement in defence. Mr Bowling claimed that he never said a word to encourage the men to strike and always did his best to keep them working. As to conspiracy any action taken was entirely on the men's own responsibility without consulting anyone. Brennan, Burns, Lewis* and Gray disclaimed conspiracy to bring about the strike. They said they acted innocently on. their own initiative in carrying out their duties as miners' officials. Burns, referring to certain evidence at the trial, said that when replying to a question he advised wives and children of steelworkers to steal bread, he meant steel it. He intended the word to be taken as a pun.