FRESH COAL DISPUTE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 714, 13 July 1929, Page 9

FRESH COAL DISPUTE

SOUTHERN MINERS REFUSE STONE-DUSTING PITS MAY BE MADE IDLE Reed. 0.40 a.m. SYDNEY, Today. While the peace conference is being held in Sydney for reopening the northern mines, an independent dispute over stone-dusting threatens to throw the southern coalfields idle next week. The managements of the mines ere insisting that the miners carry out stone-dusting, but the miners refuse to do it, on the grounds that it is injurious to their health. The parties to the northern dispute, in an effort to arrive at a compromise before the Coal Commission proceeds further with its investigation, met in conference yesterday, in a discussion that tasted three hours. The coal owners made it clear that they were prepared to accept Is a ton reduction, provided the men accepted a slight reduction in wages. No finality was reached, and the conference was adjourned until Thursday. . , In the meantime proposals arising out of the discussion will be submitted to the executives of the party organisations.