STATE MINES IDLED

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1925, Page 3

STATE MINES IDLED

.MINISTER’S STATEMENT. BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. WELLINGTON, March 12. Asked if he had anything to say with regard to the trouble at the Stale Alines, lion. G. J. Anderson, .Minister of Alines, said that he yesterday received a telegram as follows, from Air AleAlavey. Secretary to the State Miners’ Union; “Work ceased at the State Mines until co-operative contracts are repudiated with parties working same.” lie had replied reiusing to caned the contracts, as the results already obtained under the co-operative system show clearly that miners are obtaining greater benefits than under the old svstem.

The Minister said that it was of interest, to know that in response to a request, he met Mr I’. Eraser, M..1’., and Mr Lack. | resident of the West Coast District Miners’ Council, on Alar, h "hen matters were brought up relating to the new agreement for State miners and to cooperative parties. At that interview he promsied that the Under-Secretary of Alines (Mr Kimhell) should visit the Most Coast- within the next two or th.:< weeks, and meet the Union in U’gard to the new agreement between the Union and the Minister of Mines. He then stated quite frankly that he would prefer to co-operative system and that lie Was willing to work in with the Union to achieve that end. If, however. the Union would not work with him to that end. he would not interfere with the co-operative working parties which already existed il they desired to continue tlicii contracts. Ihe Under-Secretary, unfortunately, was ill at the time of the interview, and wa.s laid up for nearly a week afterwards. Since lie resumed duty, other very important, departmental business had necessitated the presence in Wellington of the Under-See rotary, hut he would he proceeding to the West Corst on Monday evening next. The experience gained under the co-operative system, said Mr Anderson, clearly showed that so far it had proved beneficial to miners, and a far hotter feeling was prevailing between officials and members of fhe cooperative parties themselves. STATE MINE COAL. WELLINGTON, March 12. Asked to-day if any course of action had been decided upon r.s the result of the minors declaring the coal woiked by the co-operative parties at the Stale miners to he “black”, the officials of the Seamen’s Union and the Waterside AYoiker.s’ Union stated that the matter had not been considered.