THE MINING CONFERENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17635, 7 August 1919, Page 5

THE MINING CONFERENCE.

ANOTHER CONFERENCE

ARRANGED.

(Ver Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, August 6. When, the mining conference resumed at 3 p.m. Mr Alison said that during the adjournment the Federation proposals had been considered. The coal mine owners were unanimously of opinion that thsre was no justification lor the appointment of a Royal Commission in view of the ! comprehensive report made by the j Board of Trade. While strongly I holding the opinion that no further I inquiry was called for, if such an ; investigation should be made into j matters connected Avith the industry, including the Federation's demands and the effect which the granting of these demands would haye upon the industry (including' reduction of output, increased cost of production and effect upon the community generally), the Association would be prepared to appoint an assessor or assessors if requested by the Government to do so. If the investigation under the conditions suggested was decided upon, adjournment of the conference would be necessary until the report was received. Failing that, if the Federation was prepared to definitely withdraw the six principal claims for the period for which any i agreement might be made, the em- \ ployers were prepared to discuss the other clauses in the demands. The coal mine owners therefore submitted these proposals for consideration by the Federation: (1) That in vietv of the recent exhaustive report of the Bo,ard of Trade, the Coal Mine Owners' Association is of opinion that there is no necessity for the appointment of a Royal Commission as suggested by the Miners' Federation; (2) If, however, the. Government decides to instigate further investigation, and the whole of the Federation's demands are also inquired into and reported upon, if it is agreed that pending the report the existing industrial agreements and awards should remain in force, the Association will be prepared to appoint an assessor or assessors to represent it; (3) Should the above proposals be agreed to, it will be necessary to adjourn the conference until the report is received, as that report may involve such changes as will have an important bearing on rates of pay and working conditions in mines; (4) If, however, an investigation as suggested above is decided upon, the employers are prepared to discuss the remaining Federation demands'if the six principal demands to which exception is taken by the Coal Mine Owners are definitely and finally withdrawn until the expiration of the term of any agreement which may be entered I into.

Mi' O'Eourke said the miners' representatives had no power to withdraw wholly and solely the demands. They suggested the demands should be held over for the time being. Apparently the coal owners were endeavouring for some reason to bring about a crisis. Mr Bishop (State Mines Department) [ asked what exactly was meant by the | withdrawal of the demands as referred to by Mr O'Rourke. They were to be withdrawn for the time being. He wished to know exactly the meaning of the term "for the time being." These demands were such that could not be conceded, and it would not be possible to go on with the discussion or other demands until they knew it was certain these demands, which the coal mine owners and the State Department could not concede, would not be raised again. . j

Mr O'Rourke said the delegates had no power to withdraw anything. The proposals had been put in the hands of the delegates by the unions, and they were mandatory. What he had proposed on behalf of his colleagues was that these should be left in abeyance for the time being. The remaining clauses could be .taken and then the delegates could go back to the rank and file and say these are the answers of the mine owners to your proposals. Mr Bishop asked whether the delegates agreed to hold over these clauses pending the report of the Commission.

Mr O'Rourke: Oh, no. Mr Roberts said it would be six to nine months before the Commission could report; and that would "be too long for the miners to wait for redress. Seeing it was not possible for rhe miners' representatives to obtain a discussion of the principal demands in the agreement, the representatives of the miners had, in order that the conference should not be abortive, asked the owners to discxiss as many of the proposa's as possible outside those to which specia! exception had been taken Mr Alison said in the first demands of the Federation there had been six which the coal mine owners decided would be impossible to grant. The effect of granting them would be that every user of coal in the country would be penalised 15s per ton. The owners insisted on the -withdrawal of these im. possible clauses. Tf this were done, the owners could proceed to discuss the rest of the demands and endeavour to come to An agreement.

Sir George Clifford made a suggestion that the term "Royal Commission" should not be insisted on in the mm. era' proposals. He suggested that the : word should be "investigation." Mr Roberts, while thanking Sir Gee Clifford for his offered advice, said the miners could not accept an inquiry other than a Royal Commission. Mr T. S. Weston made a^ proposal, on which he had not consulted any of his colleagues, that a committee of three members on either side should be set up to discuss the possibility of going on with consideration of the demnads other than those withdrawn for the time being Mr Ftrivell supported Mr Weston's prouosal. The opposing representatives had been discussing this business for some days without getting much nearer a settlement, and he feared if something suf-h as Mr Weston suggested was not. done, there- ivas a danger that the parties might not get together. The conference adjourne/cl for ten. minutes to consider the proposal. On re&iiming Mr Roberts said the minors' representatives agreed to the proposal and that the members to represent them on the committee would bo Messrs Arbuckle, O'Rourke and himself. Mr Bishop was asked to bo allowed to be chairman, a.nd his impartiality and tac-. were eulogised by both sides.

'flu* conference adjourned until tomorrow.