THE COAL STRIKE.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13858, 19 April 1917, Page 3

THE COAL STRIKE.

,A: r- ~ FURTHER ARREST OP MINERS, PROTRACTED PROCEEDINGS EXPECTED. / (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 18. Six Huntly niincis and three West Gousl 'mincib wcie arrklcd in connection with' Hie alleged "goslow" stiike today ami lenianded till nevt Monday. It was stated the case would last fully two weeks. Subsequently a Huntly miner, John senr.,. was arretted.on a charge of seditious utterance, .and was also remanded till Monday. ' There, are foi'ty-two informations againstnine miners who were originally afrestcdj arid'fifty-five miners at Huntly have ■ been subpoenaed to appear later as parties to a seditious strike.. The informations'include excerpts from'correspondence between officials, .which is alleged to denote eucouragemont of restriction on the output of tho cjoal mines, ,' THE FERRY SERVICE. MAORI. LAID UP. ( CHMSTCHURCH, April 17. 'The shortage' of coal, owing to the strike, necessitates a change in tho ferry service. The Maori ■crossed over from : Lytteltoir last night, and will'be laid up at Wellington till further notice. The Mararoii did not come south last night, her place being tnken by another steamer, which will also do the return journey fronrLyttelton to Wellington to-night. The Mnraroa will take up 'the Maori's 'running, leaving Wellington for LyHelton to-night, and her own placo will be taken by the Patecna, which will leave Wellington for Lyttelton on Thursday. night. The Mapourika, which was laid up.at Wellington, will take the Patecna's placo in the WcllingtoihPicton-Nelsoii service. \ \ •STEAMER SERVICES AFFECTED. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, April 18. On account of the coal crisis the Union Company has decided to withdraw the Monowai from the DnncdinEust Coast-Auckland service •on her arrival at Duncdin next Tuesday, and the vessel will lay up at Port Chalmers indefinitely. ■ There will probably be no passenger steamer between the north [tland ports next week.

PUKEMIRO MINERS CEASE WORK. (Far Freai AKnoolntion.l AUCKLAND, April 18. The miners have struck work at the Pukemiro colliery, eight miles from Huntly. There are 150 men out. ... POSITIONS OHRISTCHURCHl 1 COAL MERCHANTS' OPINION, (Per Pross Association.) CHRISTCII.URCII, April 18. . Mr Cleary, secretary of the Christchurch Coal Merchants' Association, gave it as his opinion to-day, that unless the position with regard to' coal' suppliers shows some improvement within a month, every coal merchant in Christchurch will have to close his yard.

CONSERVING COAL SUPPLIES. i ; PROPOSALS BY WELLINGTON, CITY COUNCIL, WELLINGTON, 'April 17. In order to save coal, the City Coun-cil-will beasked to cousider at its next meeting proposals for the curtailment of the tram services and a considerable reduction in street lighting. The Mayor made a statement as to the general effect of the proposals to a reporter. ... '' Our most important proposal,'' said Mr Luke, "is to curtail considerably the running of the trams during the slack hours of the day and 'evening. There will not be so many late trams. If the Sunday services are continued, they will be very much curtailed, and double fares will be charged, There is a difference of opinion as to whether or not Sunday trams should stop altogether, We. shall have to ask the people : to help us with the reduction of services. One of our difficulties in j running the tramway service is that of 'peak' loads at rush hours of the day. These 'peak' loads add vory much to oiir consumption of fuel, for so long as we have to carry them we have to keep all our machinery available and prepared.to supply current at the maximum capacity for an hour or two in the morning'when the people are going to work,'and again in the evening when they are returning to their homes, It is suggested that we should appeal to some of the peoplo who can arrange .to do so to go to work at 7.30 a.m. in order to distribute the load on the service, and so help us out of the difficulty of 'peak' loads. If certain industries can arrange to, begin the working day at 7:30 a.m. we shall ho able to cope with .the traffic with a, reduced number of trams. In lighting also it is .proposed that considerable savings shall be made. Some of the very large arc lamps, which are now lighting,up certain areas, will be cut out:for the time boing,'and vory limited lighting'will be provided after midnight."'.' '•'"_ : . • S

MINISTER OF -MUNITIONS INTERVIEWED,

The Hon. A.,M. Mjcis, as Minister in cliaige of mnttcis connected with the .distiibution of 'coal, was waited upon by the mombcis of tho Christeliiiirh Advisoiy Boaid set up in connedion'with the boniil in Wellington established to advise tlic Ministei on tin 1 same matter.

The mcmbeis of the Chiistchuicli bo.uvl discussed, with the Minister viiiious iii.iftpis aiding out of the piesent situation, -The pioeredings neic uol upcii'lo the pi ess. Subsequently. Mi Myers iiitoimcd a .lepieMMitatn'e ol the I'iess that ioi somc'/liine past lie had been obtaining infoimation ?as -to' the stocks of jcoal

held by various lndustnes throughout? the Dominion, and this would enable] him to'act pronjptly in tlie ovent of thc ( picsciit situation developing in such a way as'to justify fyhdn In mow ot tin fact thdt'tho 'Acting Prime ifan' istci (Sii 'JamiSs islet of Mines (the Hon W D S Mac Donald) were at present on the Wpst Coast doniing ,with the industrial trouble, Mr Myeis ( did not jlunk i\ desnablo to make dny further public . sta ht/ Ve'xcblptJ' 5 to '.^xblre'ss- : h'6 pel tfiat in vioW : of'th'e^fadts'that cti&nVa'g: esscntial'in ortier'•thatHhe Beiriforce-: 'merits could ;bo food ..for ttio 'troops .arid-tho .people i.of ;the United Kingdom could , bo conveyed, and that coal was needed'fbr essenti'aj' industries and'lor-'domestic use, lie 'trusted that the coal miners would' ■ realise the gravity of their rcsponsK bilities and act up to tho highest and best traditions': of' tho \wdrkolrs of the Dominion and do their share in the hour of stress. DRASTIC OURTAIIIiiENT OF RAIL WAY SERVICES. SEQUEL TO SHORTAGE OF COAL, ,TO OPERATE FROM MONDAY. The strike by, i the miners and the consequent reduction in tho supplies of. coal have forced Railway' Department to take drastic,actidn iri'thc direc-, tion of cutting down' the railway services. Several-trains are to be cut out, .and .many places' '.which.,have; hitherto enjoyed a .daily 'service /will; have to bo content 'with trains' about three times a week, The changes will' come into forco next Monday. ■! Only one train each way will run: in tho Duncdin-Christchurcli service. The train from Dune'din 'will'leavo at> 8 a.m,, and in addition to the'usual| stoppages will, stop at Warrington and ; Maheno, Tlie train fronVChristchurfh' to Duncdiiv will 'leave• tho former place at 12.5 p.m. Tho services on the Kurow and Ngaparabrauckes will be run only on Tues- : days, Thursdays and Saturdays, arid that on tlio Tokai'ahi brauch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. A daily sorvico will be run botweeh Dimcdin and Palmcrston, but the morning train from Oamaru to Dunedin aud the afternoon train from Dunedin to Oaiuavu will run only on Tuesdays and Fridays. The morning train from Dunedin to Oamaru and the afternoon train from Oamaru to Dunedin will be cut out except on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tho early morning, train from Palmcrston to Oamaru and the afternoon train from Oamaru to Palmorston will be run on Tuesdays, Thursday's, and, Saturdays, The servico between Oamaru arid Timaru will be reduced to one of thrice weekly. The 7.5 a.m. and 3.45 p.m. trains fronrOainaruto Timaru will run on Tuesday, 'Thursday, and Saturday only, and the 7.5 a.m. and 4,25 p.m. from Timaru to Oamaru will run on the same days only.

The Waimate branch train connects ok Tuosday, Thursday and Saturday with all main lino trains,' ' i

The morning : train.i'r'oiii Duncdin to Clin'toii. ttie" ut'tbViidoii train from Clinton ito Balciutlia; and the evening train from Balclutlia to Dunedin will run only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the morning train, from Clintou to'Duncdin and the afternoon trair) from'Duncdin to Clinton on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The services on th'o Otngo Central and Lawrcnco branch lines will be 'confined to three days a week—Monday,. Wodnesday, and' Friday, ~

Oil the Cntlins River branch trains will run only on Mondays and Wednesdays, with' tho exception that' one train will run each way between Bal-, clutha and Maclennan on Fridays,

The morning train from ''Mosgiel to Outrnm and the afternoon train from Outrani to Mosgiel' will. run' only on Tuesdays and Thursdays,

ANOTHER OUT INRAIWAY ■ SERVICE. ALL SPECIAL TRAiNS CANCELLED (Per Press' Association,). .. WELLINGTON,. April 18. Another cut in. the railway service is reported, the Department,having ..can-: celled the special train, arrangements for the- Manawatu races, which take place on April2s,anad 20. The Department has; also cancelled, the specials for. all similar' gatherings. CIVIO ENTERPRISEHARD HIT. CURTAILMENT'IN AUCKLAND. (Per s 'Prean Association,) AUCKLAND, April 18. The Mayor stated today, Wat owing to shortage of coal, it was necessary to curtail the supply of'electricity to certain large users, arid' unless coal is; available in the next few days,: it will be necessary to niako' a drastic curtailment in'order to keep absolutely cssontial services running.

MINISTESS-BX6fc ;i IN l <mEY. MOUTH.: BJ3PLY TO LABOUR FEDERATION/ (Per Press Association.) . .■ GR^YMOUTH,:ApriI 18. v Sir Junida;Alleiraml;the 1 Il6n. W.'D. S, Mac Donald arrived; back - late tonight, after ■ ''meeting 'the- '-minors' ''at Riiiiiuiga and'Rewanui/ "| • :■.;■ : Sir' James Allen;.in, reply to Mr Hiiain Huntei 'a statement, has sent the" following teluginm:— "Mi Hiiain Huntei, National Secretary, Fedoial/Lnboui, Clliistchurch,

"Your telegram received. I can senicelv believe'that the Federation of Labom is opposed to so fair and demociutic a measure us the Militaiy Service Act, which places ovciy nmii, as fai as seivice lvith the Expeilitionaiy Foices is conceined, on exactly the same tooting. The Government cannot suspend the opeiation of the Act, Paili.unentlalone can do tl|iit. The Ait whs missed with onlv seven dissentients, ami 1 li.ue'eveiy icason to believe that Iho jrcnfr.il opinion of the countn is an match- 'bv Pailianient.' 1 ' , -. - - J.-ALLKX."',, The Ministeis, leave Gieymouth>on their return on,Saturday'moiniug. '