THE COAL DISPUTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 303, 16 September 1920, Page 6

THE COAL DISPUTES

$ L SERIOUS DEVELOPMENT AT

PUKEMIRO

ENGINEERS CALLED OUT

TROUBLE HANDED OVER TO FEDERATION

Although the disputes at the Gore and Mataurii mines have been settled to tho I satisfaction of both parties, tranquillity has 'by no means been restored in tho ceal mining industry throughout tho Dominion, and > a serious development occurred yesterday at the Pukemiro mine in the Waikato, where, in company with tho men at Huntly, the miners have been on strike for some days. The Miners' Union at Pukemiro called out the en-gine-drivers and the result of this step will be that unless seme other members of the staffs can keep the pumps going, the mines will be flooded. In tho event of this happening, sonic time must necessarily elapse before work in the mines can bo resumed, even if the 'strike is settled without much further delay. As announced by the Prime Minister on Tuesday, Mr. P. Hally, who has been engaged adjusting the coal disputes at Gore and Mataura, will go to the northern mines to'see if he can bring about a settlement of the dispute that lias been caused there through the men demanding certain railway travelling concessions. Mr. Hally has not yet returned tu Wellington, and it is possible that before doing so he may visit the West CcQ9t, where there is. a good deal of discontent. The Paparoa mine has been idle for some time, and the Blackball miners have threatened trouble unless two 'blacksmiths are compelled by tho company to pay a levy in aid of tho Broken Hill Distress Fund.

The disputes at Gore and Mataura have been settled along the lines of the national agreement. The minimum wage por miner has been fixed at 19s. 2<l. per clay. Shift men will receive ISs., truckers 16s. 10(1., engine-drivers ISs., outeido day workers 165., and the hewing rate hah been fixed at 4s. 6d. per ton. Mr. J. Arbuckle, secretary of the Miners' Federation, who has been in tho south in connection with the disputes at Gore and Mataura, returned to Wellington yesterday. Mr. Arbuckle informed n Dominion reporter that the disputes at the Huntly mines had now been placed in the hands of the, Miners' Federation, and to-day, probably, he would enter into 'negotiations with Mr. Massey and the owners with n view of trying to bring about n settlement. Mr. Arbuckle stated that he had not received any official infermation regarding the troubles at Blackball and the State mines, and therefore was not in a position to make any statement with regard to them. "Outside the Huntly question, things are fairly satisfactory from a national'point of view," added Mr. Arbuckle. "Thsre have been a few local grievances, but outside of these the position is all right as far as I can see." WAIKATO STRIKE'CONTIMJES STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN OF TAUPIEI COMPANY. ' By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, September lb. The strike among the Waikato coal miners is still going on, and coal supplies are dwindling further every day. This morning the Hon. E. Av. Ali6on, chairman of directors of the Taupiri Mines, Ltd., explained the position fully as far as the company is concerned. "Tho demand of the men at Kotowaro and Pukemiro was at the outset definitely a demand upon the Government for a concession in regard to fares between Huntly and Kotowaro and Pukemiro." said Mr. Alison. _ "The company was asked to use, its influence in support of the men's''retiiiest. but it was never suggested that the compnnies should pay the amount necessary to give the men the concession they desired. The men have now found that the Government is not prepared to grant the concessions, and they are seeking to change their ground, and it is reported that tiiey suggest that the companies shall pay the difference between the suburban and ordinary fares. This is an attempt to introduce a new and very dangerous element. The companies have no sort of control over the train fares, the rates of which aro fixed by the Railway Department alone, and it must be obvious that there can be no dispute with the company in regard to the amount of these fares. If this principle is once conceded, it will mean that if tho workers anywhere wish to gain a concession that is in the hands of the Government alone, which is unable or unwilling to concede it, tire workers can at once turn round to their employers and say: 'Wo can't get this from the Government; you will have to concede it.'" STOPPAGE AT STATE MINE AN IMITATION STRIKE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Greymouth, September 15. AH work stopped in the State mino and development works to-day, as an irritation strike to compel tho Government to accede to the demand to replace the men dismissed owing to surface work being completed. The executive demanded that the dismissed men should, replace men who refuse to pay the Broken Hill levyf and this the management refused. It is understood that the strike is part of an organised attempt to keep down ocal stocks, as a means to secure the repeal of the War Regulations and the restoration of civil rights to conscientious objectors. A number of miners have recently left tho mino to work on the railway now being constructed by the Public Works Department.

' The management interviewed the nonpayers of the Broken Hill levy, and they decided, with tho exception of two underground workers, in the interest of industrial peace, to pay. Work was found for the dismissed men on the Seven Mile railway, hut three refused to accept. Apparently the only issue, remaining is that of the conscientious objectors.