COAL MINERS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17122, 18 April 1921, Page 7

COAL MINERS.

THE WELLINGTON CONFERENCE, QUESTION OF PRICE TO CONSUMER. (press association tklegrau.) WELLINGTON, April 16. Tlie Coal Conference resumed to-day. At the opening of the proceedings yesterday the chairman put in certain figures relating to the f.o.b. cost (22s 6.42 d) of State coal at the wharf at Greymouth. To-day, Mr Kimbell put in further statistics, showing the actual cost of coal'delivered to the consumer and the price obtained in Wellington, Christchurch, and Wanganui. At the-Wellington depot the coal was sold to the consumer within the city limits at a rate of 60s a ton. The coal actually cost 61s 1.35 d a ton. At the Christchurch depot the actual coßt waa 57s 1.78 d, and the price to the consumer*6os—or 8s cwt. delivered. At Wanganui the c9st of coal delivered to the consumer was 65s 9.51 d, aqd the price obtained was 65s a ton. Tlie details of the cost of the coal per medium of the depots, from April Ist. 1920, to February 28th, 1921, was as follows: Wellington Depot,

Actual cost to State Coal Mjnes Department from mine to delivery ••• 61 l-v" Christchurch Depqt.

Actual cqgt to State Coal Mines Department from mine to delivery ••• 67 1.78 Wanganui Depot. Cost f.o.b. Greyroputh ... 22 6.42 Marine freights ... Wharfage and haulage ... 2 8 Trimming and yard labour... 8 B.OT Cartage ... 12 0.49 Sacks ... ••• Freights ... ••• 0 ?.1| Salaries ... ••• ••• 9 Rents ... .t ••• 0 Repairs. ... , }- .» 0 4t§* Interest, depreciation) general expenses, etc. ••• , ••• * Actual cost to State CO9I * Mines Department from mine to delivery 80 ."•«+ Mr Kimhell also referred to » report which waß' beißg' prepared by the accountant as to tlie cost of cptw, if'the' domarfds of t|ie Miners' Federation were Reeco. (Wostport-gtockton Mining Co.) Bfti4 that Mr J- Arbuckle (miners' representative) knew very weu that the increased phco of coal was due to'the increase in labour costs in all directions, The owners did not ■blame the miners solely, , - ■ ■ , Mr Arbucljle! Is rt not ft fact that during a great deal <)» the yew the Stat® Coal Depots were empty and. we staffs were paid while idlB? _ The chairman : {Mr Rimbey): yes, that is bo, The State Coal Depot waa subject to control. We hftd to send the. coal where wo were told, ana jmuon of it went to tlio gftS worlds. If W6 had had; more coal our results would have been better. . • Mr W. Balflerstone (miners' representative) drew attention to the excetjsive cost of transport, which practjoally cost twice as much as the obtaining pr the coal from the mines- The e°sF en the trucks at .GreymoutU. was 13s 0.<32d per ton. Cartage at Wellington and yard labour cost 225" per t°n, aa ijmchas the cost f.o.b. ftt Grpyn»outh, Mr 'Arbiickle said that the Steam Ship Company Was getting 100 per cent, increase on its freights and the owners would not give aji increase to the miners, The men were only getting a 50 per cent, increase on tno tonnage rates. Mr TSalderstone said that the public ought -to know that the miners. Were not responsible for the increase in the price of coal. •, Mr Arbuckle emphasised the fact that the State Department's s*pensos greater than those of the private companies, yet the <joal latter's mines sold for between' 1&» and 18s more per ton than coal from the State mine.*, Mr J. O'Brien (miners' representative) said • that the interest apd depreciation of profits and dividends would not face the charges for capital if they were not fair. For labour no depreciation was allowed. Mr Reece replied that capital must bear interest, and allowance must be made for brain. Mr O'Brien answered that if body or brain served in the production they should be* rewarded. |t was the people who did no work, but drew money, to whom labour objected. After further interchanges, Mr T. O'Rourke (president of the Miners Federation) sai3 that the'miners wanted a definite statement as to whether the owners were prepared / to grant their demands. Mr Arbuckle said that it Was Up* to the owners to show why they could not afford to give the miners a better share of the proflta. In reply to Mr Reece, Mr CVRoyrke said that the miners .would stand by the whole of their demands. The conference adjourned till Monday afternoon,

AN UNPROFITABLE DISCUSSION. MEN INSIST UPON ALL THEIR PEMANPS. (srgcui *o "ran mw-")

WELLINGTON, April 18,

The coal conference was continued in "Wellington to-day, the delegates engaging in. a general discussion on a return prepared by the State Mines JV partment showing the cost of production of State coal.

I The miners argued t!h»t iftsso figujes were not fair, since depot charges had been increased by the shortage of coal. They pointed out that the cost of the coal -on the trucks at the State mines •was only a fraction over 13s a ton, so that tshe miner was not the real cause of high prioea. Mr O'Brien (for the minors) told the conference that interest and depreciation were not proper charges at ail. He said he did not serf why the mineowners should be allowed to make these charges. All they were entitled to what the miner got—three meals and a bed. If the owners charged interest and depreciation, so should the miners. Mr Roece said he would Jiko to make some comment on the statement of Mr O'Brien that capital expended on the development of a mine ought not to bear interest. The money very often Kaa borrowed, and interest baa to be

paid by tho borrower. Tim Government; lind developed nil its liiiuot with borr rowed money, on which interest had to be paid. Capital could not be procured unless interest was j-aid. O'Brien seemed to think it was a enme that capital invested by the State or anyone else shou.ld bear interest. Mr QUrion: I would make it a crime. Mr Keece: You cannot- develop a mino without- moue.v, can you? Mr O'Brien f Ordinary individuals call borrow monoy amongst themselves witliout paying interest. I can go to a mat-e and get 5s without paying interest. Mr Reeco (laughing): All right, I am done. v Mr O'Brien: Any man nho uses hand or brain in 'the production of some useful commodity is all right, but many people don't do either l and they charge t'iiis interest. We object to it. You knock off charging interest and do a bit of work like we do, and we will got along all right. • Mr Reeee: 1 think I i!o more work than you do. Mr Arbucklo: But you receive about a thousand per cent, bettor return for your labour than we do. Mr Recce: I wish I did. Ask the Income-tax ' Commissioner.

Colonel Holg-.ite said that the miners employed at tho Kiripaka mino during the thpee months ended December 31st had averaged 38s Id per shift on a basis of ten shifts per fortnight. Mr O'Brien said that au average did not mean anything. Some men had earned piore than- the average, and other had earned less. Ho did not believo that anybody had earned the average. Colonel Holgato: Many men have earned more.

Mr p'Brion: An average is an unfair proposition, beoauso it merely represents nothing. • You don't tell us now many men. made smaller wages. Mr O'Brien added that tho figures did not deal with workers other than tho contract workers engaged in hewing coal. After an unprofitable discussion for nearly three hours, Mr Reete brought the cpnferonce to serious attention on 'the points ut issue. He stated that members pi the Mine-owners' Association were now in Wellington waiting the result of this conference. "Your proposals,' 1 said Mr Reeco. "are very serious proposals, and have to be placed before our members, so that no time may be lost. Boforo parting this.morning, I would like, to liavo some indication from you which-of these items you wish to treat seriously, which you feel are part oF a definite programme you desire to be carried out. On wo should like to know which are tho particular items you look on as essential to your claims. Wo are not empowered to close with you on these matters, hut what is dono will be reported to our members, and we-will give you a reply. It would save time if you would state which of your proposals you put forward seriously.'' Mr O'Roijrko qrose immediately Mr Rcpfse had concluded. "Reqlly, Mr Reoco," he said, "I tliinta you are a very gpod fisherman. Here aro our demands and we are prepared to stand by them," , Mr Reeee: To which clauses do you refer P Mr O'Rourke: All of them. Mr Browp: Is no compromise possible? Mr Arbuckle: When we see ypur qoiißter-proppsals it will bo time enough to see whether a compromise is possible or not Mr O'Rourke suggested 'that Mr Reece knew sufficient about the tactics of Buch » conference to know how the miners' representatives stood. There would be lib compromise as far as they w©r© conceraed.*'TJ\ey would carefully review any answer which the owners might give to tho demands, and if the proposals were not ' aceeptnblo they would report the position to the unions Mr Reece said the owners would liko gOme time to consider, the position. Accordingly ah adjournment until 2,30 p.m, oji Monday was arranged for.

Cost f.o.b. Greymouth .. ?2 6.42 Marine freight .. 11 2 Wharfage ... ..10 Cartage in 2 3.95 Trimming and yard labour 8 5-25 Cartage but . ... .. 11 2,41 Bent and rates ... .. 0 10.18 Salaries ... .. 0 10.18 Repairs Sacks ... 0 6.30 .. 1 9.04 Freight .. 0 3.23 Interest, depreciation general expenses, etc. ... .. 0

Cost f.o.b. Greymoutli 23 6.40 Marine freight 12 9 Haulage and wharfage 5 Q Trimming tuid yard labour" 6 9.36 CaHage out •••'• 5 iU.Ul Rents and rotes 0 H .4 J. Salaries ... 1 11-v 7 Repairs and maintenance ... 0 . a.bD Saoks 0 5.17 Freights _ ,••• •• 0 1.20 Interest, depreciation, general 3.56 expenses, etc. 1