COAL MINERS STRIKE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13655, 25 July 1908, Page 3

COAL MINERS STRIKE.

TO COMMENCE ON MONDAY

Per Press Association,

WELLINGTON, July 2-1

A strike of tome dimensions it may be stated in threatened in connection with the coal-mining industry. The Minister of Labour (the Hon. J. A. Millar) had been informed by telegram from the officers of the Miners' Linton that unless a settlement of the existing dispute between the miners and the coalmine owners is arrived at by Monday next, 9000 men -will go out on strike. This decision is the outcome of negotiations that have been in progress for some time past. The miners went before the Arbitration Court in Dunedin, arid 1 lie Court instructed them 'to go lAick tc( the employers and try and arrange a conference with a view to settlement. They slate that they had previously enufavourcd to settle their differences by this means without succens. The jriiiers now fear that they will not be able cither to bring about an agreement cr conclude the conference before the end of the present sittings of -the Court and they have, therefore, decided as already stated that they will strike unless by Monday a settlement has been arranged, or they have been granted permission to go beiore the Court.

STOCKS AND PROSPECTS JN TLMAItU. The rumours mentioned in yesterday's telegrams relative to a threatened strike in the coal mines of the colony, though not altogether unexpected in Timuru, have not driven the loi.al dealers into a state of despair. Thare are some 4000 tons of coal cither ordered or already on the way to this port, and with the early closing down of the freezing works lor the season and the consequent lessening in the demand, there is not likely to be any veiy serious shortage for some time, should the rumours of strikes take concrete form. The freezing works during the past year have adopted the practice of keeping a substantial reserve stock on hand and one of the large retail farms in town is heavily overstocked. The i ail ways, too, have been buying very. largely of late, but on the other hand some of the smaller dealers have not very large stocks in their yards, though the various shipments now on the wa.er for Timaju should augment their supplies very considerably. Should the worst come to the worst tihere are 400 tons of slack in the coal hulk, and failing a. continuance of supplies this could be used ior household pui posts.

Mr J. L. Gillies, local manager of the Wcstpoix Coal Company, inionwed a. " Herald" reporter yesterday that ho had not heard of any discontent- in the W-est-land .mines since the Premier and tho .Minister for Labour visited that part a few months ago; he was under the impression that all differences between the miners and Ihe : companies were settled then. Bu* he was aware of the existence of discontent in the lignite mines of Utugo, owing principally to delay of the Arbitration Court in investigating tho claims of the miners for increased wag<is, etc., and should a strike occur there, where t>o many people depended upon the lignite supplies, the situation would probab'y be serious. As for a general strike throughout the colonies Mr Gillies as well as other coal merchants, were inclined to discredit tne idea with a' fervent hope that the rumours would prove to bo nothing more than purely imaginary.