COAL DISPUTE CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17392, 12 February 1920, Page 4

COAL DISPUTE CONFERENCE.

MBST SITTING■ HEfcD. '■■'• *■ "~~~ * ' ■ A FRIENDLY DISCUSSION. ' ' ■' —"■ ' BOTH, SIDES STAND FIRM. \ ,-"••■ • .' , : • '.}■ • . • r— > , LENGTHY PROCEEDINGS LIKELY. '; LBT TB»iCBAPH.-- ; , COEREBPONPTOT. 1J i "\/ \ ■■' ;?,/' WELLINGTON, ' Wednesday. >'" , The conference called'., the .Prime Minister. Mt. . Massey, 'to ; consider the \ coal dispute sat for about three hours today, and 'then adjourned 1 tomorrow. . The proceedings were ' private.,''. ; . ; j i.; Mr. Massey ; stated subsequently, that the ■'. discussion, had proceeded •■in -a friendly r ! fashion". - : Some ? preliminary points had ' been considered, but a great deal of ground : had to be covered; and he : anticipated that the;proceedings! would lbe prolonged. ; ■}, It was gathered in another quarter: that neither'vide had shown willingness to ■recede from ' the s : positions already f : taken up, although Mr. Masßey was guiding., the discission ' along * lines .that might prove useful. '■'■■' "", , ■:.■' ... '''""■' ~;.-,Vij, V ij •'.., • <■■■■ ■■ --■•■•■ »,--•- ■■'■■■■■ : ::-t'::-.. , ■._,: ■■' ■ ! ".' ~ ■••■ •'•'.*••■. Southland SETTLEMENT. ; END OF GO-SLOW POLICY. MEN'S : WAGES INCREASED. i'*■<:■■.. - ■■.". -"f-vt-j:- '.•-.■■:..; v. i rr : i.;.'V ,• "•;.'■■' ■'}.. V =1 "■ ?/-—-; — >■>-.-;.»• ;-,■■. ■', i' PRICE OF COAL GOES UP. •.i [BX ? mEOBATH,.—■PBBSS, ASSOCIATION.] ' '' ' f*. INVBrWAEGILL, Wednesday. • As a result of. negotiations.which have been ,- proceeding for • some •' time < between the nuneowners and the - miners, in. the Nightcaps*, Wairio and Ohai ' districts, the go-slow- j policy : /?nas;- ended, and work started iit fulf swing on Monday morning. It is understood that the men secured a very 'substantial increase in 'wages,; and as a' result the '[ price of coal \td*; the ■ public has been increased* by 4d per ton. -.v.; SUPPLIES FROM SOUTH AFRICA. : HIGH PRICE BEING CHARGED. ' [8V TELEGRAPH.- -OWN . OORBFSPONDENT.] •/ •••■:,'.;;, ; CHBlSTCSU^H.^We^esitoy.";. : v The high price of South African coal to be brought :to Lyttelton ?in ; ,the \ Yonne' to meet the requirements of the threshing, freezing, and certain •' essential industries, -is no doubt responsible for the fact that so ' far there, has been .no ■ rush to procure supplies. •;, The amount of coal to 'be brought by the ,Yonne is 5400 tons. The Government" is charging freezing works £3:103< 6d per ton, and £ threshing millowners' £3 lis per ton net in trucks at Lyttelton.-'/' ,~ ''-■''..'.'. o:-Ja view of the position regarding further supplies/ it looks as though the industries will be compelled to take advantage :of the coal to be brought by the Yonne. .; ;'•.";■ ■ ." ■ _. ',' * J '; rat SHOBT/iOK AT EAHTLTOH. . 7 «', . _I '••«,' ; I ' PRIME MINISTER'S EFFORTS. . [BX TOJGBAPH.—OWN :COEBKTOND«NT.] / '':V ■/'■ HAMILTON. , Wednesday. I' In regard -to - the' shortage of ', coal in' •HamUtc^ Mr. G. Parr* .president of the Hamilton, Chamber of Commerce, received the following telegram > from ; the Prime Minister in reply to a message despakhed, yesterday apprising him of the position:— ', ■-j "Your telegram of even date is the first intimation; my :I Department l : has r received respecting the position of coal supplies in your town. Bat as your district comes under the administration of the .;: Auckland Goal Trade. Committee, possibly this posi- , tion • has 'been; placed before them. My Department! s has. however, communicated by urgent telegram; with the secretary of thai body instructing them to endeavour to provide for "the. immediate requirements of Hamilton. The' shortage of /hard-coal especially ;is very * acute, : and > great difficulty has been experienced in meeting the demands of essential industries and public services, hut'you can' rest assured the bast pofcsiblc iis being : dohei with ( supplies available for distribution to \ meet ■ all ? urgent cases." ; '-, ' l»> , • ■