COAL MINERS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1931, Page 2

COAL MINERS

300 DISMISSED. (By telegraph—Fer Prets Association) ■, t / HAMILTON, Deer 1 19. ■' This re wa& a mass meeting of the cdal miners at Huntly to-day j in connection with the dismissal of some 300 of the miners. A resolution was passed urging upon the Government to intervene, and insisting that the dismissal notices be withdrawn, and that the work, should be rationed, as in the past. The. meeting decided to call a conference of the mine-owners, members of Parliament, and miners. ' The position is a serious one. It was discussed at a meeting of the Northern. Miners’ District Council at Huntly yesterday. The meeting' lasted all day. c Arrangements were made to meet the - owners and further business was adjourned until another .massed meeting. of: miners is .held to-day. “Our chief complaint against the step that has been taken is that there has been no consultation w.itli the district ; council,” said Mr Robinson, chairman of the Northern Miners’ District Council to-day. “Mr W. R. Hoigate President of the Coal Owners*' Association, has stated from time to time that he has always been a strong believer in round-table discussions, and that he was always prepared to meet us. Vet no indication was given on this occasion. The result has been that men have been indiscriminately picked out and given notice, regardless of the men’s circumstances and regardless of any commitments the men have to meet in the way -of Government loans on houses. One of the worst features of; .the whole affair is that married truckers and.whiners have been dismissed and single’men kept on.”