STATE COAL-MINE STRIKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14700, 7 December 1909, Page 8

STATE COAL-MINE STRIKE

POSITION UNCHANGED. FEDERATION EXECUTIVE IN WELLINGTON. REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW. (Pbb United Press Association.) GriEYMOUTIT, December 6. There is nothing to report in connection with the strike. All is quiet and orderly, although the pinch is already being felt by business people. Great interest is being taken in the deliberations of the Federation Executive, now in Wellington, and on its decision rests everything. , OTHER MINES BUSY. SPLENDID ACTION BY THE WORKERS. (Per L t :?iteu Pitas Association.) WESTPOKT, December 6. Tho coal miners in the Wcstport district are cheerfully and successfully seconding the efforts of the companies to meet the pressure in the demands for coal. At Ngakawau the men make 110 objection to working on pay Saturday. The Seddonville and Granity miners arc briskly cmployed. At Denniston on Friday another daily record was established, the output for tho day for one shift being 1573 tons. The waterside men at Westport are working overtime, and it is only in one or two isolated cases that any objection lias been made, although a large quantity of coal is being handled. The railway is working the mineral smartly, ar.d there has not been the slightest congestion in shipping. The co-operation of all concerned is a gratifying feature of the rush. The paoe of production, haulage, and shipment will go a long way to prove that New Zealand can supply all lier own coal demands. The output from the Westpojt Coal Company's mines durintr November was 51,761 tons llcwt; from the Seddonville State mine, 6112 tons lewt.; and from the Stockton Company's mine, 13,863 tons scwt; —total, 71,766 tons 17cwt. During the month 104 steamers worked the port. THE FEDERATION EXECUTIVE.. ANXIOUS FOR AN INTERVIEW. MINISTERS TOO BUSY. (Pep, L t kited Press &ssocunou.i WELLINGTON, December 6." The Miners' Federation delegatesMessrs Semple (president, State collieries), R. Manning (secretary, Auckland), Dowgray (Granity), Fulton (Waikato), Scanlon and Patry (Waihi), anil Armstrong (State mine extension)—-discussed matters in connection with the strike to-day, _ and it was decided to interview the Minister of .Mines. It is understood that the Minister was unable, owing to pressure of business, to meet the deputation t-o-day. (Fbom Oue Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 6. Yesterdav the Hon. A. R. Guinness was asked by-Mr O'Regan, solicitor to the Miners' federation, if ho could arrange for a deputation representing the executive of tho Minors' Federation to wait on tho Prime Minister and tho Hon. R. M'Keime. In reply to his representations, Mr Guinness was informed by the Prime Minister that ho would give a reply after the Cabinet had considered the request.

When the sitting of Cabinet was concluded Sir Joseph informed Mr Guinness that if the executive of the federation would put.into writing the subject upon which it wished to interview himself and the Hon. E. M'Kenzio he would inform it whether the deputation could be received.

It is understood that the executive has not yet complied with the request. Tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie (Minister of Public Works) informed your representative yesterday that, as both the Prime Minister 'and himself were exceedingly busy, they were unable to meet the executive to-day. AUCKLAND NOTES. (Feou Oub Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, December 6. Mr R. Manning, secretary of the New Zealand Miners' Federation, left Auckland for Wellington on Friday night to attend the meeting of the executive of the federation, which is to bo held on Wednesday, to consider what action should be taken with reference to the State coal and Newcastle strikes. Speaking to a pressman before he left, Mr Manning stated that he was hopeful of a satisfactory settlement of the State coal dispute.

Mr J. Fulton, president of the Waikato Coal Miners' Union, left for Wellington on Thursday night to attend the same meeting. Though strikes are in the air things are qoing along hero very smoothly (ivrit-es a. Huntly correspondent). Work is plentiful, and the strike agitation is conspicuously ateent, so that it is likely that the ■miners will continue the even tenor of their way.