WORK AND WAGES

Southland Times, Issue 18078, 3 May 1919, Page 6

WORK AND WAGES

AUSTRALIAN COAL CRISIS. (By Telegraph.—Fress Assn. —Copyright.) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, May 2. Premier Holman states that increases in the prices of coal under Commonwealth control will involve the additional payment of £1,000,000 by the New South Wales consumers, and that the State Government instituted the inquiry because of the threat fay arrangement between the employers and employees that the public would be forced to make these extra payments. MELBOURNE, May 2. Mr Watt, the Acting Premier, has announced that for the present the coal controlling regulations will be confined to New South Wales. AGREEMENT TO STOP STRIKES. SYDNEY, May 2. Received May 2, 10.5 p.m. The miners’ increased wages under the new Federal agreement operate from Monday. The Federation iias adopted a new agreement to prevent further stoppages, under which ait disputes will be referred to special committees. EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 2. Referring to the announcement that the Federal Government had decided to commandeer all the coal in the Commonwealth, the Hon. A. M. Myers stated to-day that, as far as he could judge at the moment, the Dominion’s supply from Newcastle would not be detrimentally affected, as it was not anticipated that the output from the mines would be reduced. The recent strikes in Newcastle had given considerable cause for anxiety, but from information received he understood that the bulk of the mines had resumed work and he hoped that a regular supply would soon be again coming to hand from that source. Further, every endeavour was being made to arrange for oversea shipps en route to the Dominion, both via America and Australia, to pick up cargoes of coal. The recent epidemic and the strike at Millerton, together with the continued stoppage of work at the Green Island mines, Otago, had accentuated the acute shortage of coal which had existed during the past two years in practically every part of the Dominion. “Every possible effort is being made, however,” concluded Mr Myers, “to do the best possible in the national interests with the supplies that arc coming to hand.” • TAXI-DRIVERS’ WAGES. CHRfsTCHURCH, May 2. In the Conciliation Council in the taxidrivers’ dispute a settlement was arrived at £3 10s, an increase of 12s 6d on the present rate, the hours to remain 'as at present (60 for a short week and 70 for a long week, or ten hours a day); overtime Is 6d an hour instead of Is 2d under the present award.