DOWN TOOLS!

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 4

DOWN TOOLS!

DEVELOPMENT AT PAPAROA'. (By Telegraph.—Preßß Association.) Croymouth, July 29. The Paparoa miners refused to start work yesterday morning unless two miners, who had been suspended, were reinstated. This the manager refused to do, and the mine is idle. A reporter, on making inquiries from a reliable source, learned that the cause of the dispute was a simple one. It is alleged that, for some considerable time, there have been quite a number of .accidents caused by negligence, and the mine-working has been considerably delayed, besides" pausing damage tothe property. During the last two weeks a good deal of time has been lost,-and things became so. bad that the manager issued instructions' that anyone responsible for. accidents was to be suspended at once. On Thursday two men were engaged'firing -in a shot, and, it .is alleged that they did not take precautions to see that the compressed air pipe was protected. The shot was tired and the air-pipe was blown away. This stopped further work in the mine, and according to instructions, the men were suspended. A.request was then made to the manager that, unless he reinstated the men and paid them compensation for loss of time, the miners would not resume work as the union officials considered that the men had been unjustly treated." The manager refused to give way, and the men refused to work.

Tt is a. little unfortunate that the strike has taken place at the present time as the company are trying their best to fulfil an Admiralty order. There are over 100 men employed in and about the mine. The. manager,' it is reported, has refused to have any conference with the men .until work is resumed in the mine, but when, the miners go to work, he will be. prepared to further consider the case of the two men suspended.