COAL MINERS' DISPUTE

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16619, 26 August 1918, Page 5

COAL MINERS' DISPUTE

THE ROYAL COMMISSION. Per Press Association. ■ WELLINGTON, August 24. The M-nis£er of lYlsnes staled to-day that tke proposals for a ltoyai (.W"had been submitted to representatives of the Coal Mme -Owners'' 'Association and of the. Miners' Federation. In the circumstances ho' could not disclose the de-'aUs of the proposals till both parties to t ne dispute bad hall an opportunity to exprefU an .Vpiiilon. Already the Government; Las committed itself to a coinprehensiv?' investigation through the Board of I'i'ade, an inquiry which rang.es from tho seam to the consumer. The idea "frith the Royal Commission is to have n. general stock-taking on a field much wider than the ground of dispute between the employers aiid the miners. OWNERS MEET ON WEDNESDAY. CHRISTCHURCH, August 24. Mr William Recce, chairman of directors _ of "tihe AVestport-S'tockholni colliery, informed an interviewer .that no decision had been arrived at in regard to the Government's offer- to set up. t a j{oyal Commission to inquire" into th,e coal trouble. - ■ • A conference of miiio owners will he held at Wellington on Wednesday, when the whole matter will ba cns'"ed. If the times were normal there would be little hesitation in forecn/Jtinji that the owners would 'remain firm, but war considerations might influence a majority to. agree to n r.ouvse ff action wlrch they would otherwise strongly oppose.