COAL PROFITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20832, 26 September 1929, Page 9

COAL PROFITS

FINDINGS OF COMMISSION,

•MINERS STILL UNCONVINCED. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph-Copyright.) SYDNEY, September 25. The, first direct move of the coalfields to refuse to accept the findings of the Royal Commission on coal profits came from a combined meeting of the Hemburn No. 1 arid No. 2 mines. -The miners stated that f under no ■ circumstances were they prepared to accept a reduction in wages or an alteration in conditions, and they-were confident that the miners’ leaders would refuse to compromise in any way, MR BAVIN’S LETTER, CONSIDERATION BY UNIONS. SYDNEY, September 25. (Received Sept. 25, at 10 p.m.) A meeting of the full committee of the combined mining unions is Lein" held on Friday to deal with Mr Bavin’s letter. It is reported that a large section of the northern miners is anxious to return ,to work, but a small section is prepared to await the result of the elections on October 12, relying on Labour, if it is successful, to safeguard their interests. The police guard at the northern mines is being strengthened. ■Mr Bavin sent a letter to Mr Davies, the general secretary to the Miners' Federation, asking if the combined unions were prepared to accept the Government s proposals, which provide for a reduction of/-ts per ton in wages, equal to 12J per cent/off contract earnmgs, and Is per day off other labour, the fftate Government to rcdiice handhng and haulage charges to the extent of 2od per ton, and the Federal Government to pay a bounty of la per ton on coal sent ■to interstate ports.