COAL MINES DISPUTE

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16618, 24 August 1918, Page 7

COAL MINES DISPUTE

GOVERNMENT'S. DECISIONS. CONFERENCE OR COMMISSION. Per Press Association. "WELLINGTON. August 23. The decision of the Government on 'lie coal mines trouble, is that if coal ownerfj do hoc agree to meet" "tlio delegates of tlio Minerfi' Federation i:i conference a Royal Commission is to be set up to investigate ill items :u tlio total cost of coal to tlia consumer, including the hewing rates paicl to nr.ners. One off the conditions to be insisted on is that the men must eo h:ick at work at once. Messrs Seniple, O'Rourko. and Parry have agreed to this condition and left f° r tlie Coast, aler telegraphing a request t u the sti-'keis to go back to work. The mine owners meet on "Wednesday to consider the suggestions of tlio Government.

The rronoscd c-nctimt'o" of tho Commission 1 s follows:—Two representatives of the rimers. and two oF the o>\-n"rs nr~ to li-> liy tlio <wo l>r>d:e.c interest oil, ,v"l these «our meniliers are to elect a fif'-li to sit as ci firman.

tliaf nvnf*rs strike w'll vor.m-.i i r , tvovV noxt r.cek.

STATE MINERS AWAIT INEORJEATION,

GREYMOUTH, Aumist "3 A in cot. ng of tho State Miners' Union was '£ 0 have been held to-nili"t, biK it was put off on rcco.pt of a telegram from Wellington, which i u \ tunated that members of tho Federation would arrive hero on c\ euing and confer with tlio miners on Sunday, putting before thorn the Government's proposals. Tho State ns:ners will be working to-d;n>\ AYortl has been received iiero that the Stockholm trouble was settled and t.iat work will he resumed on Mondnv.

iWESTPORT-STOCKTON CONFFR ENOE.

A mooting of nine managers and deputies, representing Buller and Grev districts, was lield in "Westport this a'tei-noon in reference to the disoute tho W estport-StoeJvton Company's mine, and-it is understood that aii amicable settlement was reached, and that the deputies will resume' work oi* Monday.

Mil'erton is still idle, but Denoiston is working as u^ual.