COAL MINERS' GRIEVANCES AT WHANGAREI.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 204, 1 September 1887, Page 5

COAL MINERS' GRIEVANCES AT WHANGAREI.

We have received complaints re the non»; payment of coal-miners' wages in the; Whangarei district. On inquiry, we find] the facts to be these : The Kamo mine haaj stopped working for about four months,! and a fortnight's pay is owing to the workmen, who have consequently, been' put to much inconvenience and hardship. J The Kamo Coal Company has gone into liquidation, and Mr 11. R. Hunt has been] appointed liquidator. That gentleman is; doing his best to realise on the properties of; the Company, and as soon as he can ha will pay the miners' claims, which' are of course preferential and therefore secure. So far it appears that), the estate will be a meagre one, and will' not probably realise 10s in the £ for the miners alone. An endeavour has been made to float a new company, and' under this arrangement it was proposed to pay the miners at once in full.' A certain number of shares were sold in; Auckland and the balance sent to New Sputh Wales, and Mr Hunt expects to hear, during the next two or three weeks; whether the new company will be floated or not.

With respect to the complaints pf the Whauwhau miners, we learn that their j wages are somewhat in arrear. The miners; were informed that finances were "nob; iv a flourishing condition, and were! asked to wait for payment until money earner in, but declined to do so and struck work; last Saturday. We are assured,and have no' ddubt of the matter, that the men will bo^ paid, and that the delay is unavoidable and' much regretted by thodirectors. The miners have not a monopoly oi the troubles amp losses arising from the opening up of a new. and important industry. The shareholders in these coal mines could doubtless fill considerable space -in our columns with the ventilation of their grievances, but they will, we believe, stick manfully to the task they have undertaken, and will yet succeed in opening up the rich coal seams of the Whangarei district, to the advantage of themselves, the miners, and the colony. ' ' •'V'