WAIHI’S LOSSES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1035, 5 December 1912, Page 2

WAIHI’S LOSSES.

The loss iu gold returns due to the strike (says the Herald) can be set down at ,£453,125, calculated upon the average return of ,£46,000 per four weeks from the Waihi mine, and ,£16,500 per four weeks from the Junction mine. There were 1500 men employed by the miuirg company on the Waihi field when the strike was declared who were receiving a total of about ,£4,800 a week in wages, so that in the twenty-nine weeks of idleness the men have lost close on £140,000 in wages. Against this they received about £9OO a week iu strike pay contributed by New Zealand and Australian unions affiliated to the Federation of Labour, amounting to £26,100 for the whole period. The gold duty collected by the Waihi Borough Council (by which the (own was practically maintained) represents under normal calculations about £IB,OOO a year, and the mines being idle seven mouths the loss to the borough finances can be computed at well over £IO,OOO. Waihi, Dec. 3. This morning four officials, representing the Federation of Labour and Miners’ Union, served the officials of the new Union with notice to hand over the keys of the Miners’ Union Hall by noon on Saturday, otherwise proceedings would be taken. Possession of the hall was taken on 12th November, and it has been occupied by the new Union ever since. The strikers who have returned since the strike was called off, have been using an office in another part of the street. Since yesterday over a hundred Federationists applied at the Waihi and Grand Junction mines for work, but the applications have not yet been dealt with.