THE EMPLOYERS' SIDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 53

THE EMPLOYERS' SIDE.

' THE MEN "UNREASONABLE."

(Fjioic Our Own Correspondent.)

AUCKLAND, August 23. In connection with, the trouble at the Otira tunnel works, Mr Murdoch M'Lean, of] John M'Lean and Sons, contractors,, who is at present in Auckland, stuted today that the attitude, taken up by the men was so unreasonable that t-hoxr demands could not be conceded, even if the work was brought to a. st&scfstill. Since the work started £200^worth of lamps had been destroyed, mostly through gross carelessness. All that had been asked was that the men to whom the lamps were issued should exercise ordinary care in using them. A deposit of 10s, winch is 6d less than the cost price of a lamp, had at first been required, but the firm, finding that undea* the Truck Act deductions could legally be made from wages for damages to appliances, had now merely intimated to the men that this course would be followed in future when lamps were broken through carelessness. The work was being carried on under an award of the Arbitration Court, and if anything were done in contravention of that the men had the right of appeal to the court for an order. To have submitted tlm question to the Conciliation Commissioner would really have been going outside the award, and opening the door for further tiouble. By striking, instead of applying to the Arbitration Court, the men had placed themselves completely outside the law. It just amounted to this : that if every trifling dispute were to be made a pretext fox cases before the Conciliation Commissioner, and for a strike, the work might as well be abandoned. It was an undertaking involving great responsibility and anxiety, and it was lamentable that such a spirit of antagonism should be engendered. The men engaged on the work were in constant employment, earning £3 36, £3 6s, and £3 12s a week without any broken time. They had always been treated with the greatest consideration. The ordinary miner is required to find his own shovel and lamp, but both these implements were supplied by the contractors at the Otira. All they asked was that the tools should get only fair wear and tear, and not be wantonly or recklessly destrojed, and that position thej- were determined to maintain at any cost.