MINERS ON STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 211, 1 June 1920, Page 4

MINERS ON STRIKE

TARATU MEN GO OUT UNIONISTS NOT UNANIMOUS By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, May 81. In accordance with notice given' on Friday last, the miners working, at the Taratu coal mines went en strike to-day. It appears that when the new agreement of three montlits ago came into operation, granting a 50 per cent, increaso on prewar rates, the increaso of threepence ppr ton granted to the miners in 1918 wasdiscontinued. A meeting of the men was held this evening, when it was decided to adhere to the previous determination. It appears that lb,, strike is not too popular, and some of the men, two or three, have already applied for work at the. Kuitangata mine, and will commence thcra. to-morrow morning. Altogether 50 men bto affected.

NORTHERN MINERS HAVE DAY OFF. By Telegraph-Press Association. Auckland, Mav 31. Tho miners employed by the Taupiri Coal Company, who work -at the Rotowaru mine, had another day off to-day, the reason given by tho head office being that the men refused to wait for the train that conveys them daily to and from the mine, and which! was half an hour late this morning. • This train leaves Huntly every morning at 7 o'clock with men for the Eotowaru and Pukemiro; mines. This morning, owing to a heavy fog at Huntly, considerable difficulty was, experienced in getting up steam on the' engine, and the train was not ready 1 -to leave until about ten minuter to eight. T!»o result was that the Bofliwaru men' decided not to wait for the belated engino and returned to their homes. About, GO. of the Pukemiro miners also refused to' wait for the train, and went home rather than start work half an hour late. The action of the Rotowaru miners means a loss of 300 tons of coal, this being the average output of that mine, while tho loss of coal from tho Pukemiro mine for the day will bo in' tho vicinity of 200 tons, making a total loss in coal of approximately 500 tons on the output of the two minesfor the day.