THE MANGAHAO STOPPAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2393, 16 February 1922, Page 2

THE MANGAHAO STOPPAGE.

MEN MEET THE MINISTER, Prospects for the settlement of the industrial trouble at the Mangahao hydro-electric power works are brighter, as the result of an interview between representatives of the tunnellers and the Minister of Public Works on Tuesday. The ‘ men employed on outside work at Mangaliao accepted the reduction provided i nthe Public Expenditure Adjustment Act, but the tunnellers stopped work. It is now disclosed that they are prepared to accept the reduced yardage on certain conditions.

Mr A. Cook (secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union) introduced the deputation to the Minister, and said the men had found it impossible to effect a settlement on the job, and had decided that it would be best to come direct to the Miniser. The men were desirous of getting back to work, and felt that the Minister would be able to settle the matters in dispute easily.

Mr Fqley explained that the men had decided to accept the principle of the reduction, but they felt that if they did so certain adjustments of their expendiure should be made. Explosives were charged at £6 a case at Mangahao, whereas the price elsewhere was £3. The Minister said the companies in the latter case were supplying below cost. Mr Foley said the reduction of one-fifteenth in wages meant a loss to the men of about 4s per foot. It was admitted that in good country over 30s per day was earned, but it was argued that a man could not stand the work —in water up to his waist and in the fumes of the explosives—for more than three months at a stretch, and that, therefore, it was necessary to earn “good money.” Mr Lynn mentioned that in one camp the drying-rooms were not big enough, and the Minister replied that it would be easy to fix that. Mr Lvnn added that the main question was a reduction in expenditure, and Mr Folev supplemented this by saying that the men could not go back to the job unless the price of explosives was reduced. ■ The Minister asked what would be the position if tenders were called, and Mr Hogan, another member of the deputation, said that the men might be prepared to tender, but they would have to ask for a better price than they were getting now, for they would have to take the risk of striking bad ground. Under their co-operative work they were protected in this matter, for adjustments were made monthly. Mr Cook suggested that there were certain main items which the men desired to be considered. If concessions were made on these points, all would be well. • These were a reduction in the cost of explosives from £6 to £4 a ease, and adjustment of the cost of sharpening steel, and a reduction in board. The cost of board was now 28s per week, and the men suggested that it should be reduced to 245. Several of the outside men, he said, were only getting four days’ work a week, so that, after paying board, they were left with only £1 8s per week.

The Minister said he did not know about the question of board —-the Department was certainly not making a profit out of it. He would go into the points raised, and would give the deputation his answer without delay.

The representatives of the Mangahao tunnellers were informed yesterday by the Minister of Public Works that he could not accept their suggestion for reductions in the charges for explosives and steelsharpening. A reduction of onethird in the cost of explosives would cost the Department 4s 4d per foot, and a reduction of one-half in the charge for steel-sharpening would cost Is Cd per foot. The old price for No. 1 tunnel was £3 2s per foot, and the reduced price under the retrenchment scheme was £2 18s; but if the Department made the concessions asked for it would actually be paying £3 3s 10d per foot, or Is lOd more than the old price. The Minister suggested that the deputation should confer with-the engineers and see if a basis of agreement could be arrived at. His own preference was for a contract system.