THE COAL DEADLOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17275, 26 September 1919, Page 6

THE COAL DEADLOCK.

"BOTH SIDES OBSTINATE."

EFFORTS OF MR. MASSEY.

UNABLE TO COMPEL CONFERENCE. [BY TELEGRAPH. BEPOKTEB.]

WELLINGTON. Thursday.

Questions reflecting the anxiety of the country concerning the coal situation are becoming almost a daily feature of the proceedings of the House of Representatives.

This evening Mr. R. Semple (Wellington South) asked the Prime Minister whether he would take steps to call the parties together, compulsonly, if necessary, for a further conference.

Mr. Massey replied that he was as anxious to end this dispute as. any man, but he had no power to call a compulsory conference.

Mr. Semple : Will you use your moral power. ill'. Massey : I have done so. Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Opposition, said the matter was one of extreme importance, so much so that- it might justify Parliament intervening. He suggested that another conference might be "arranged, at which there would be represented not only the mineowners and the miners, but also the industries, the farmers, and other elements of the community interested, as well as Parliament in the person of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The question was of sufficient importance to justify having the whole of the country repre- , sented at a conference.

Mr. Massey said some of the miners had dropped the " go-slow" policy and brought the output back to normal. In other mines, however, the policy was being continued, and the output was much below that of a few months ago. The position of the employers was that they had made an offer of increased wages, which was still open, but they would not go beyond it, contending that to do so would result in increasing the cost of coal to the consumers. He had done what he could. He had offered to appoint a chairman in the event of the conference reassembling, offering the services of one of the conciliation commissioners. Both sides, however, seemed obstinate.

It was only fair to say that the representatives of the miners had asked for a further conference. Their obstinacy lay in persisting with the " go-slow" policy.

THE OUTPUT OF COAL.

POSITION AT LOCAL MINL3

" GO-SLOW " POLICY CONTINUES.

The miners at the Extended, Rotowaro, Hikurangi, Pukemiro and Waipa mines are adhering to the " go-slow" policy, and the output is, in consequence, considerably reduced. The conditions at the Northern Coal Company's Kiripaka mine, where the men have resumed work, are stated to be practically normal. SHIPMENTS FOB AUCKLAND, 9 GAS COMPANY'S SUPPLIES. The position in regard to supplies of coal for the Auckland Gas Company is stated to be somewhat easier. The Katoa is due to-morrow from Westport with 1200 tons of coal for the company, and the Rakanoa on Sunday from Newcastle with 1400 tons, while the Komata, which is expected early next week from Westport with coal for the New Zealand, has 500 tons for the company. While the stocks now held allow of a full supply of gas, the offic ; als of the company state that it is impossible to say how long the supply can be maintained, as there is no margin for the establishment of reserve stocks.