CO-OPERATIVE MINING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 742, 15 August 1929, Page 7

CO-OPERATIVE MINING

EXTENSION IN STATE COLLIERIES INCREASING EFFICIENCY (IHE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter) PARLIAMENT BLOGS.. Wed. The likelihood of the co-operative system of work being extended in the State coal mines was foreshadowed in the House of Representatives today by the Minister of Mines, the l-lon. W. A. Veitch. when speaking- to the annual report on State coal mines. He also mentioned the possibility ot the State mines scrapping their present equipment and installing new apparatus. Mv F. J. Howard (Christchurch fciouth) had suggested that the State mine should be controlled by the men themselves, as he held that more efficient work would be done, and there woul'i not be time lost by stop-work meetings and other troubles which hindered output during the year. Mr. Veitch said that he was prepared to consider the Question of extending the co-operative system in the *tate mines, although Mr. IT. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, differed. claiming that the system penalised many. Mr. Veitch said that he was not prepared for the control of the mine to be in the hands of the men. How* *ver, as suggested by Mr. Howard. Mr. veitch said that it had been found thfit under the co-operative system men would earn more than they did no vt. Mentioning the improvement in mine conditions. Mr. Veitch said that the jvnole question was whether it would be best to scrap the whole of the present plant and buy a new one to p "ect considerable economy. This ! ou r se might be the best, especially m view of the fact that it would be riecessary to buy new plant in the future.