THE COAL SITUATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12784, 30 October 1919, Page 7

THE COAL SITUATION.

ACTION BY MR MASSEY. AN APPEAL FOR REASON. LETTER TO ALLIANCE OF LABOUR. (Special to “Star.”) WELLINGTON, October 30. During the debate on tire coal situation last night Mr Massey read •‘he following letter dated Octolter 27, which he had sent to the secretary of the Alliance of Labour:— Dear Sir,—-I have to refer to my letter of the 16th instant, and to ■ remind you that an answer has not yot been received. As a great waste of time and energy is taking place, owing to the go-slow policy which be apparently still in operation in most of the coal mines, and ns considerable inconvenience is being caused to many of the public, I shall be glad to know definitely whether the miners intend to accept the last offer made to them by the emxdoyers, or. if not, whether it is proposal to file the dispute for hearing under section 4 of the 1911 Act, as suggested by me on the 16th instant, Everw facility has been given to the miners for an impartial investigation and settlement. You must be aware that a conference was first held with the owners, when a,n increase in wages was offered and declined. At your request I then invited the owners to again meet the miners’ representatives. In reply the owners stated that they could not concede any further increase in wages, as the cost thereof would have to bo passed on, to the general public in increased prices, anti that therefore a further conference would ho useless. I then pointed out to you that several courses were open to the men, under any of which they had the right to file their dispute for investigation and ment. You rejected all of these ini turnThese courses were first to make application under the special legislation of last year for the purpose of obtaining an increase in wages to meet the increased cost of living. I understand that you declined this, for the reason that the . offer of the owners was already equivalent, or more than equivalent, to that increase. 1 then suggested that you could* have Conciliation Councils of experts, representing both sides, set up in the various districts. These councils would he much the same as a conference, and would be presided over by- the Conciliation Commissioners, any of whom you had agreed to accept as chairman of the conference proposed by you. You objected to this course, because, so you stated, it was essential tliat the dispute should be dealt with for the whole Dominion. I then pointed out to you that the Act met your wishes in this direction, seeing that section 4 of the 1911 amendment empowers tfio men to file their dispute for the Dominion generally, or for any part of the Dominion, as they may choose. I have not received any reply from you to this last suggestion. You have also rejected ray proposals that a ballot of the men be now taken on the question of accepting tbo owners’ last offer, namely that the increase in wages conceded by them, with the exception of two or three special cases, he payable forthwith, instead of being withheld until the expiration of the present agreements. I. have had the business, of the House to attend to for the last two months, and my time has been more than fully occupied, but in justice to the citizens of the Dominion, who are intensely interested in this dispute, I would ask that a more sensible and reasonable attitude he adopted, and the difficulty brought to an end. (Signed) W. P. MASSEY. REPLY BY ALLIANCE, ’ A SUGGESTED CONFERENCE. OLD OFFER REPEATED. [Pim Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 30. The Alliance of Labour has replied to Mr Massey’s letter, which urged the adoption of a reasonable attitude and an attempt to settle the coal mining dispute. The Alliance expresses regret that its suggestion for a conference oetween the parties to the mining dispute, with a Government representative as chairman, has been rejected by the employers. The miners were not prepared to file a dispute under the Act of 1911, but were willing to accept an independent chairman and negotiate immediately under the Disputes Investigation Act. Beyond this they would net go at present.