MORE MINERS OUT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 August 1939, Page 6

MORE MINERS OUT

THOUSAND MEN AFFECTED

AT HUNTLY

SECRETARY DOES NOT KNOW WHY.

MASS MEETING BEING HELD

TODAY

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND. August 28,

Apparently as a gesture of sympathy to the men who have stopped work at the Glen Afton and MacDonald coal mines, shifts at Wilton (Glen Massey). Renown. Rotowaro and Pukemiro shafts were idle today. Approximately 1000 men are now affected.

The secretary of the miners' union. Mr T. Hall, said he did not know why the men had gone out. Nothing had arisen to prevent their going back to work.

A mass meeting of miners, called by Mr Hall, will be held in the Town Hall, Huntly. tomorrow afternoon to consider the position. A- statement from the secretary wil be made as soon as possible. MINISTER’S REGRET. AGREEMENT NOT OBSERVED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Tiffs Day. Regret that a stoppage of work had taken place at the MacDonald and'Glen Afton coal-mines over a dispute that had arisen regarding the dismissal of a worker, was, expressed by the Minister of Mines, Mr Webb, yesterday. “The matter in dispute is one which I think might have been adjusted without the necessity of ceasing work.’’ Mr Webb said. “Last Friday I caused inquiries to be made into the dispute by the Inspector of Mines, and the request was made to the mine manager, Mr P. Hunter, that the matter should be dealt with under the disputes clause of the northern coal mine workers’ agreement. The manager refused to adopt this course.

“Provision is made in the agreement to deal with cases such as this." Mr Webb continued. "Clause 29 (d) provides that: —'If the union alleges that a' manager, in the engagement or dismissal of men, has been guilty of victimisation or has committed an injustice, and the matter cannot be settled by the district disputes committee, it shall be investigated by a’ committee representative of the executive of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association and the Miners’ National Council.’ ” Mr Webb said it was the duty of both sides to hav£ the matter in dispute dealt with in'adcot'dance with the terms of the agreement. UNION REQUEST CONSTITUTION OF DISPUTES OF COMMITTEE. WELLINGTON This Day. A telegram was received by Mr T. O. Bishop, secretary of the Coal Mine Owners Association, this morning from the United Mine Workers of New Zealand Union, requesting that the present dispute be referred to a committee representative of the United Mine Workers' Union and the Coal Mine Owners’ Association. The'request will'be considered at a special meeting of the Mine Owners' Association executive on Thursday morning