COAL MINING DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 785, 7 April 1910, Page 6

COAL MINING DISPUTE.

EMPLOYEES AND THE MINIMUM WAGE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, April 6. In the Arbitration Court to-day, before Mr. Justice Sim, tho dispute between the Taupiri Coal-mining Co., Ltd., and the; Waikato Miners' Union was dealt with. The main points in dispute were in regard to the minimum wage for hewers (who were otherwise paid by the ton) and the . question of hours. The employers contend that during part of tho year one-half of the men should 'commence to descend at 7.30 a.m.' instead of as has been the custom, the whole shift descending at 8.30 a.m., and the company also asked that the clause fixing the minimum wage for hewers: at 10s. lOd. a day (the extra lOd. being allowed for power and lighting) be deleted, as it had not been found to work satisfactorily. Mr. E. W. Alison, chairman of directors of the company, in the course of his evidence, gave -tie reasons for the company's wishing to have the clause fixing the minimum wages for hewing eliminated. The miners, he explained, had approached the company and represented that in some very hard patches in the mine a man, no matter how hard he worked, was unable to earn the full wage, and they, therefore, thought that in such cases the company should make up the difference. This the company agreed to do, but they were now. very sorry for having done so, as it had been found that in many cases the men had taken advantage of the concession, and had not always tried to work industriously. Mr. Alison produced a document showing the extent to which the amount had been made up in hewing wages by the company in respect of miners, unable to earn shift wages had grown. The amount made up by the company during the first year this scheme was in operation totalled ,£276 12s. . during the second year this grew to .£BOO 3s. 3d.,. and in the third year amounted to .£1337 17s. 2d. The company was certainly desirous that tho men should be paid a living wage, but they should earn it. The Court's decision was deferred.