HUNTLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 294, 11 December 1900, Page 3

HUNTLY.

HUNTLY, Saturday. DEPUTATION TO THE HON. J. G. WARD. A deputation consisting of Messrs E. S. Wight (manager of the local Mining Company., R. Grundy .president of the Waikato Coal-miners' Union), and J. E Wallace (secretary) waited on the Minister for Railways on Saturday at the railway station. The deputation was introduced by Mr Dang, M.H.R., and invited to accompany the Ministerial party to Taupiri, so that the ordinary railway traffic should not be delayed or interrupted. Mr Wight said the object of the deputation was to lay before Mr Ward the hardships experienced by the miners and by the company consequent upon the shortage of railway waggons, such shortage compelling the men to lose time by working a half instead of a whole nay. The miners preferred a whole day to a succession of half days, and had informed Mm (the manager)' that unless this state of affairs was remedied they would rather not work at all. On the other hand, the expenses entailed by his company were as great for a half as for a whole day. In reply, the Hon. Mr Ward stated that as new carriages were expected in Aucklaud'at' the end of the present month, the pressure'occasioned by the -absence of suf- ! ficlent roiling stock would be relieved, since there would then be no occasion to utilise waggons for passenger traffic. He (Mr Ward) also recognised the importance of pushing o-n the railway extension to Waihi—an extension which would be to the interests of the Waikato coal industry as well as to that of the surrounding districts. In conclusion the honorable gentleman pro-mised-t.O-do all he could to accede to the wishes of the deputation. 'the deputation having thanked Mr Ward for his courteous treatment, left the speelaLat Taupiri.