The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1931. MINING OPERATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 October 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1931. MINING OPERATIONS.

Rhfehences are made in the Mines Report to the losses sustained in the State mines owing, to labour troubles during the year ended on 31st. March last. It is shown that in the Liverpool mine alone ten day’s work was lost owing to the miners electing to j take extra holidays after Christmas and owing to their stopping work periodically. The effect in this single instance j was that the miners lost £3610 in j wages and the cost to the Department was £l4lO. If these stoppages could be obviated, the Minister said, the Gov- j eminent would be in a position to re- i duce the selling price of coal to the I public. It is to be observed, also, that the employees in State mines are liberally treated. Among the special benefits enjoyed by them are subsidised rates for railway and omnibus transport to- and from their places of employment, adding lid to 2d per ton on the cost of coal produced, and reductions in the charge on coal sold to miners, the loss incurred by the Department. in respect of these sales being about 14s Gel per ton. What is true of the State coal mines in regard to the loss in money and in business due to mining disputes, unfortunately applies also to privately-owned collieries, and there appears to have been, with the deepening of the economic depression in the Dominion, no improvement in the position. Indeed, since March 31 industrial troubles have materially affected the coal output, and in the far north substantial damage in two mines was due to them. The late Minister issued a warning to miners which they would be foolish to neglect. ‘‘The system under which the State mines are weing worked is not,” he wrote, “satisfactory, and if stoppages recur the Government vill be compelled to consider other methods by which the mines can be operated.” One method that appears to offer considerable advantages is what is known as co-operative contract mining. The State has experimented in this system, basing payments for coal won bv groups of miners upon the actual working costs, and the results are said to have demonstrated clearly that t ‘c men obtained material benefits compared with the returns they would have received under the oh l system. Private colliery companies have nho been forced in some cases to introduce the co-operative svytem, in order to protect themselves from the losses caused bv the frequency of strikes and other stoppages. Intimidation by miners not willing to accept employj -nent on such terms, and sympathetic strikes at ether collieries, have hiudei-

ed the operations of co-operativo parties, but the principle, safely and soundly established, has provided an indication of what may be done if labour unrest is repeatedly instigated by irresponsible leaders. Actually, it is satisfactory to know, the returns in respect of the coal-mining industry in the past year were remarkably good, the output of coal amounting to 2,542,092 tons, the highest figure since coaiming commenced in the Dominion. 'lbis was partly due to the fact that 'during five months of the period there was a stoppage of coal-mining in the Maitland colliery area, in New South Wales, with the effect that there was an increased demand for New Zealand coal. The importations last year of Australian coal, amounting to 157,943 tons, were the lowest since 1904. ( Of these imports gasworks in the Dominion took at least 34 per cent.