COALMINERS' DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16936, 23 August 1918, Page 4

COALMINERS' DISPUTE.

PARTIES NEGOTIATING.

A ROYAL COMMISSION.

OFFER ■BY GOVERNMENT; [BY TELECIUrn.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] "". '■.- ■ ■'. WELLINGTON, Thursday. It is understood that the Government has offered to set up a Royal Commission to inquire into '■ the wages dispute between the coal miners and the mine owners. This offer, it is stated, has been conveyed to the parties concerned, and, in the meantime, negotiations , continue between the latter and the Government. It, is not possible to say how either side will regard the. proposition. In the case of the miners the proposal has probably been submitted to tho individual unions. .

Although Mr. It. Semple had nothing to say on that point to-day, he stated that the Miners' Federation was making every endeavour to prevent tho threatened stoppage of work at the mines. It was quite probable-that the result of the negotiations now proceeding would be known definitely within 24 hours. The result would, he said, be published immediately. A message received in Wellington to-day stated that work had been stopped at the Millerton mine, near Westport, but no reasons were given. Mr. Scrapie 'confirmed the news; and said that it was likely that tho trouble there was local, arid had nothing to do with the larger question' now at issue. ■ The West-port-Stockton miners, who ceased work about 10 days ago, are still out. Their trouble concerns deputies,' and is purely a local matter. ■

. Mr. Grayndler, general secretary of the Shearers' federation, has just completed an extensive tour t of the various branches. He said that meetings were held in etch centre, and at all of these meetings motions expressing sympathy with the coal miners in their demands for a conference with the owners were curried. Further, said Mr. Grayndler, and in view of the general dissatisfaction which appeared to exist everywhere regarding the supply and quality of coal delivered, the Government was urged to nationalise the industry. , Acting under instructions the secretary of the Storemen's Union in \\'tllirgton, Mr. A. Monteath, has written to Sir James Allen, to >; the effect that the -members of the union are of opinion that' a conference should be arranged in order to prevent possible industrial upheaval.',.

POSITION ON WEST COAST.

TWO MORE MINES IDLE.

BLACKBALL AND MILLERTON. [BY TELEGRAM.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHUECH. Thursday. The trouble' among the coal miners on the West Coast is still simmering. Yesterday the men at the Millerton mine, Westport, went out. on strike, and advice was received in C'hristchurch to-day that the men at, the Blackball mine, near Greymouth, did not turn up to work this morning. 'r At' v tho Millerton mine about' 275 men are employed, and at Blackball just over, 300. No reason is at present known here for the failure.of the men at Blackball to work this morning. In the recent trouble .at this mine the men's -demand was that there should be an alternation of the truckers and the shift men in their work, .This was a point, however, that the owners would not concede,, contending that it was unreasonable, and after a slight break, the men on that occasion resumed on the same conditions as before. .k .i -^

WESTPORT SITUATION.

COUNCIL URGES CONFERENCE.

[by telegraph.—press association.]

V /-| .'■; WESTPORT, Thursday. . The . Denriislon colliery is . working as usual, but the Stockton mine remains idle. Millerton and Grahity miners are to hold a meeting this afternoon to decide whether to go .back to work or not. The Borough Council passed ', a resolution unanimously that the Government should, insist upon the coal mine'owners of the Dominion immediately meeting in conference the representatives of the coal miners, with a view, to settlement of the dispute between the two organisations. / y::■'■', • " ■■/■.:■&

DEPUTATION TO STATE MINERS.

STOP-WORK ■ MEETING TO-DAY.

[by telegraph.—press association.]

GREYMOUTH,'' Thursday.

Representatives of tho Blackball minors, who ceased work this morning, paid a visit to the State mine to-day, and waited on the Miners' .< Union. 'A stop-work meeting will be held to-morrow to further consider the question. ; ~-.,. J ". .;