THE MINING TROUBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1920, Page 2

THE MINING TROUBLE

* STATEMENTS IN HOUSE.

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.;

WELLINGTON, Sept. 14. Mr Massey made another statement about the Northern coal dispute today. He said the dispute was between the men and the, mine owners, arising out of what was done at the State colli mines. The latter were situated where it was impossible to place residences. The men had to go to their •work from Ruganga or even from Greymouth and had to he carried by rail There had been complaints about it ever since the mines had'been opened. The representatives of the men asked that the Government should make a better timetable and ma/ke arrangements to carry the men at a lower rate. Tlie arrangement was made by the Mines Department which paid the ordinary rates fqr the men being earned and the Railway Department did not come into the matter at all. He was making inquiries as to what was being done at Huntly. He hoped that the men would go b%ck to work for coal was urgently wanted. The miners should avoid anything in the nature of a go-slow policy or a strike. They should remember the country’s dependence upon them. He did not wish to do any injustice to anybody, but he did not ’think this was an unreasonable view to take of what had been done for them lately. Mr Holland (Buller) asked whether 't was not true that the whole of this dispute ranged round the differention in rates for workmen when travelling. Did the dispute not rise from-the request on the part of the State miners for rates, similar to" those enjoyed, say, by workmen travelling from Petone to Wellington, which were conceded to the men {it the Sftato {nines. Mr Massey said ‘that there was no analogy between the State miners and those districts where there were special •rates. There were special workmen’s rates at the four great centres of population. These were instituted for the purposes of inducing people to go out of the towns to live, and so avoid congestion. The miners were working in the country and wanted to live in the town.