MINIRSFERATION STATEMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1918, Page 4

MINIRSFERATION STATEMENT

OX COAL DISPT’TE

[rUR PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.]

WELLINGTON, July 20.

The coal miners official statement of their attitude, signed by O’Rourke, Semple, and party, contends they have not asked for a variation in the existing agreements, in the way the employers wish to imply, as the only question is one of an adjustment of wages, which is imperative owing to the increase in the cost of living.

The employers suggestion for a bonus. is condemned as a speeding-up expedient. and likely to lead to increased aeeide uts.

In reply to the employers statement that the miners wages range from 17s to 25s daily, the miners point out that' the average working days per annum are 2-10. Taking 19s 10id per shift as the actual earnings, is £238 IJs per annum, but from this was to be deducted £29 for explosives, lights, and tools. Miners expenses and the cost of living, based on budgets compiled by working miners’ wives, averaged in 1918 £219 3s 3d per annum, to cover the- necessaries for a mail, Ins wife, and family of three children but it does not • cover Union fees, medical subscription, insurance association and other incidentals, including recreation, all to be met- out of the balance of £1!) 9s !)d per annum. The financial position of a miner in 1918, is 55 per cent, inferior to his position in 131-1. The only increase in wages since the war was one of 171 per cent, on .wages. A nian -on 12s a day in 1918 is worse off than, when receiving 10s in 1914, by. £37 3s 3d per annum. • The miners to-day are. producing .more coal per man, per. day. than at any time in the history of the. conntry. The output per man in New Zealand is a world’s record. The increase ill price of State coal for cash since 1912, in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Wanganui ranged from’.‘3s to 6s per ton increase retail, and of private companies range from fis 6d to 28s per ton. The average, increase of hewing rates per ton, is 4\d to od. So far as the Miners Federation is concerned, this is still open for negotiations.