MINERS FEEL AFFECTS OF TRAIN CUTS

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1947, Page 8

MINERS FEEL AFFECTS OF TRAIN CUTS

-rPtess AzsQQi&tion

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, March 31. Nothing occurred in Huntly today to indieate an early end to the Waikato coal mines sttike. The executive of the Northern Miners Union liict this mo'rhiilg but its officiais had nothing to say after the meeting. It is uhaerstood no further worcl has been received fi'om the Prime Minister, Mr. Frasef, sinde his message on Satuma/ warning the union of the grayeeffects of a continued .strike, nor has the executive communicated witli Mr, Fraser since yesterday afternoon when it adyisecj him of -the decision of the mass meeting to stay on strike. There is no hope of work resUming tomorrow in the seven undergrouncl and four openeast mines put out of production. Miners waitiri g in the strest this moiming for news of fresh developments were told by executive membefs after the meeting that there was no change to report. It is still evident that many of the 1400 workers oii strike* want to see an end of the stalemate and return to work. tt is pointecl out that altliough the mass meeting decided almost uhanitnously to continue the strike, no more than 500 unionists were present and 1 it is understood that only 31Q;voted, 300 being in favour of the strike. It is considered that if '.the' issue had been decided by secret ballot and not by a sjiow of hands, the margin would not have been so great. . Even if the miners go baek to work this week there' will be little improvement in the coal supply until after Easter, According to their agreement the miners must be given a fortnight's notiee if they are required to work on the statutory holidays of Good Friday and Easter Monday. They have received no request and unless Ciovernment intervention brings a change, there is no likelihood of any work over Easter. Miners who agreed to work on tliose two days receive double timejn addition to their daily rate of pay. The mining districts near Huntly have been among the first in the North Island to feel the impaet of the cnts in the railway services. All trains on the Olen Afton line which serve the settlements of Rotowaro, Pukemiro and Glen Afton have been stopped. Until Jast Wednesday, when all the underground- mines in the Huntly district became idle, 13 trains, most of them carrying passengers as well as coal, were running on this line. The number was then reduced to ten but as from this morning these have been eliminated and there are no buses on this route. A number of families were with out meat today as there was no rneans of sending up daily orders from Huntly. Taxis had to be sent from Huntly this morning to bring people to work from Glen Afton and other settlements. During the week the total loss of coal production has mounted to over 16,000 tons. A small cooperatiye mine jn Huntly West ' and a privately owned mine in the Whatawhata dbstrict are th.e only tAvo mines working. The Wh.atawhata rriine, with an output of about 40 tons a day, is supplying the Horotiu freezing works, Hamilton Hospital and domestic consumers in Hamilton.