REEFTON MINING TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 56, 24 July 1912, Page 7

REEFTON MINING TROUBLE.

MR. MASSEY'S INTERVENTION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Monday. In connection with the efforts that have been made by the Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey) to effect some sort of arrangement whereby a settlement of the lii'efton dispute may at least_ be possible, Mr. Chas. Rhodes (president of the Gold Mine-Owners' Association) explained to a reporter this morning that Clause 11 in the existing agreement between mine-owners and the Inangahua Miners' Union provided for the appointment of an independent arbitrator to adjudicate upon any difference that should arise between the parties to the agreement. The union, however, would not carry out the terms of the agreement in this respect. The mine-owners could not see upon what grounds the warden at llcefton coukl reasonably or legally impose as a condition of granting protection that, the mine-owners should apply for an arbitrator in terms of Clause 11. They had done so, of course, although the union "would have nothing to do with this action. When Mr. Massey approached the Mine-Owners' Association, the latter body had met, him by undertaking to forego the appeal against the warden's decision if the union would accept the suggestion to have an independent arbitrator. At the same time the association had made it perfectly clear io Mr. Massey that they quite realised that they were not even reasonably obliged give in to so many <: lleads I win, tails you lose" sort of advances that were being made from the other side. The position now is that the next move must come from the miners or from the federation for them. It is understood that there will be a meeting of the executive committee of the federation in Wellington in a day or two, and it may be that ,the point will again come up for' consideration then.

THE "POPPER" GRIEVANCE ) EXPLAINED. . ' The president of the 'Mine-owners' As-. soeiation (Mr. Chas. Rhodes) has given a reporter some information regarding the machines which are at the bottom of the trouble at Reefiton. He stated that the alleged -disabilities of the machines have been altogether exaggerated. The fact is, that one-man drills are so light and so simple in construction that their manipulation is easy. "They weigh only 70 ,lbs," said Mr. Rhodes, "and' I am able to 'produce men who can work two drills I at the same time, one by each hand. Of' course, this would be in a favorable place where machines could be set up close together. lam also certain that I can find a woman who can run a popper\ drill, so that it is clear that the actual) ■working of the drill is not onerous for j any practical miner. Then as to the | dust bogay, it may be true that the'men have permitted the drills to raise dust, but if so they have done so in contra- J vcntion of the mining regulations, which provide that a spray must be at hand for use with all drills. As a matter of fact,. the inspectors of the mines see that this requirement is provided, though I have certainly known eases where miners have , refused or neglected to use sprays when they were actually at their .very elbows. Another objection made against running I the drills single-handed is that the men I liave to work alone. That is not, the ease, for I know of no instance in Ne\V I Zealand where a driller's mate is not | working close by at some of the various | work that has to be done, as well as drilling, so that in case of need one man' is handy to the other. The reason for the miners' objection is that a popper is so handy that they fear it will reduce the number of men required, as has happened in many other industries. The contrary result will follow the use of labor-saving tools in mining... A reduction in,the eopt '6f'mining means an increase in the quantity of ore within the limit of payability, so that more men are necessary to break it out. Though the poppers simplify the work and make it easier, the men will not be asked to work them without obtaining their share of advantage. One shilling per day is added to their wages, which is equivalent to a rise of ten ,per cent., a very .substantial increase. Contractors- who are left to decide for themselves do not hesitate to make full use of one-man drills, very much to their own advantage. lam very certain that Xew Zealand miners are quite as ready and as able to adapt themselves to the use of these drills as Mexicans, Italians and Chinese, who now operate popper drills in Mexico, the United States and South Africa, while British miners use them in scores of mines in Australia. The time will coine when the miners will insist on being supplied with these light drills to relieve them of the labor of striking with hammers in the old-fashion-i>d way, which they will then describe as being good enough only for the dark ages, but not for men with modem labor mid sweat-saving ideas."