N.Z. COAL-MINERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16885, 5 August 1919, Page 8

N.Z. COAL-MINERS.

~CO\FERiENCE WITH OWNERS. r V S.RTIES AT LOGGERHEADS. (Per- Press Association.) - " - - 5= ' WELLINGTON. Aug.* 4. . .When the Coal Mining Conference ' was resumed this morning Mr .-Roberts aaid-that if the owners would refuse 'io go'on to discuss the abolition of the i contract system, it would be no use i proceeding with the conference and pro- | dpeing figures. , ■ -i The Hon E. W. Alison said that 7 it I had been definitely decided that the owiiersncould not consider the exorbitant and unreasonable demands made. Mr | Roberts had claimed that an injustice \ would be done to the Federation if it i did not have an opportunity of pre--, senting figures to refute those given by the owners. Then why was the Federation not going to submit figures? It was because it could not give figures,! to controvert those produced by/ the ■wners. -

Mr Roberts denied having said, that they could not produce figures. They had seen through the owners' figures at once. The . owners had taken one-table in.tlic Board of Trade-report, and dealt wjth the mine with the lowest output. It was plain that where the output was email .'.tub cost- of-productioiwwns 'high. In no.part of the Board of-Trade re.,tliey find a basis upon which they l could/ commence their calculations. AVhere' the'' information was ol no use to . anyone the name ol tlio mine was given.

-Sir"George Clifford said that when he made-his "suggestion regarding figures hOfiplajced no time limit on the Federa■won. H-jSe wanted the Federation to have plenty of time,-and then submit figures from .independent experts. " Mr. Roberts maintained that it was impossible on the basis supplied to give figures. If the public were to have full .information with reference to the working of the mines, the employers must throw .all their_cards .on . the "table and "the necessary information, and then the light of day could be thrown upon -the great coal question in New Zealand.

The Hon F. \Y. Alison suggested an adjournment to enable the owners, to consider the renly made by -Federation. He moved an adjournment until this afternoon, and this was .carried. '

.Mr Arbucklc said that the Board of Trade report was a most brilliant effort to conceal the real position with regard to the coal miners of New Zeal a r n ?.- . .He challenged a. statement by Mr Alison that the Board of TTade had ffone_fu.lly into the coal owners' hooks. ■v- e ftsures supplied by the owners did not-show the position of the coal industry.'

Mr Alison defended the management of tlie mines, winch, he said, was thoroughly efficient. Mr Arbuckle's statement that the Board of Trade report concealed the true position was quite incorrect. Mr O'llourke said that the Federation would bo sceptical until it knew how the figures of the. Board of Trade report had been compiled. .. * . > Mr-Alison, referring to the remarks by Mr Arbuckle > that tlie State mine was profitable.; said it was because -tlie conditions under which, it was worked were so different. It paid no taxes, no roya-ty, and 110 dividends to shareholders!

The coal miners' conference did not actually l reassemble to-day, it. having been' decided ,to adjourn -until to-morrow jr'norning.