Sunday Labour in the Mines

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2071, 27 January 1898, Page 2

Sunday Labour in the Mines

Recently the Pfteroa representativeof the Auckland ‘ Heraldwaited upon a number of prominent mine managers and others, as to their opinion on the above subject, at present creating so much stir in mining circles on the Ohinemuri goldfields. Among others interviewed was Mr W. Goldsworthy, manager of the New Zealand Talisman Company, who is a miner of old experience, He said he thought it* quite unnecessary to work bn Sunday, a®, by careful and judicious, management, this could be avoided without affecting-results. In what way ? I asked, ’ Well, says. Mr Goldsworthy, Sunday work.deteriorates the labour, the men being incapable of doing- the amount of work during the week days, by working on Sundays, whereas if they had a day of rest they would be more compete at to carry out the work en- ; trusted to them. ■ If the owners of a plant found they oould not crush sufficient ore during six days to cope with thy output- of ore mined during the same period, and yet by working on Sunday they could do so, Lt is quite evident that more machinery is- required to . work during six days, namely, the, addition of one-seventh more.

But then you know there is a shortage of water during the. summer months?

W ell, then, auxiliary power should be supplied. Of eourse, it may then be questioned as to the advisability of this course; but when the extra cost of labour on -Sunday is taken into consideration, this may perhaps more than compensate for the loss of power and consumption of fuel. So I think the batteries should not work on Sunday. No, I say they should not be allowed to work any more than any other industry, such as sawmills, flourmiils, flaxmills, etc., and I think the Government djd the right thing for all classes in placing upon their statute-book a law stopping the working of batteries on Sunday. I worked at the Thames fqr years, and all old Thamesites will bear me out when I say that the batteries there treated the ore won from the mines during six days a week and paid handsome dividends without Sunday labour. This same happy state of affairs can also exist here in Ohinemuri without the working of the stampers on Sunday, providing, as I said before, judicious management is. manifested.