THE MINERS' DISPUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 122, 24 May 1901, Page 2

THE MINERS' DISPUTE.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

PAEEOA, this day.

At the Conciliation Board yesterday considerable discussion took place on an application by Mr Daw, manager of the N.Z. Crown Mines, to be allowed to make an opening- address on behalf of his company. Mr Daw explained that he was not present at Coroinandel when the owners' case was opened, and lie was no party to the statement read there by Mr .Rhodes. He understood those mine owners not at Coroinandel would be allowed to state their view of the case at Paeroa.

Messrs Rhodes, Brown, Tlich, Hardy, and YVoolmer supported this view.

The Chairman said his interpretation of the decision of the Board was that the mine owners should open their case at Coromandel or Thames, or Paeroa, or wherever suited them, but that there should be only one openingl.

Finally Mr Daw said he would reserve what he intended saying till the close of the case. Mr Daw then asked if the Union case was absolutely closed so far as culling' witnesses was concerned, and was informed, '"Yes, except that they may call witnesses to rebut fresh matter." Mr Daw asked if the Union would permit the Karangahuke mines to be exempt from any award made by the Board. The Chairman said that did not rest with the Union. Mr Drumm said they had hot power to say without consulting- the Union members. Mr Daw said in that case be would call no witnesses, and he understood the branch of the Union at Karangahake desired no change, and had .so informed the executive of the Union. Messrs Potts and Drumm said they had no information on that point. The evidence of Mr Kitehing was continued this afternoon, he being ■ examined by Mr Curtis. Witness stated the practice in Karangahake was to pay contractors in full immediately they produced proof that the men employed by them had been paid. Only once during the live years he had been with the company had the deposit been forfeited, when a contractor threw up his contract, and then only for seven days, till instructed by Mr Curts to retlurn it.

Examined by Mr Daw, witness said he did not know if the Talisman Company had set aside out of their proiits any sums for redemption of capital, nor did he know ot any company on the Haurakl Peninsula that had done so. He would not be surprised to know that £ 41,100 would be required to be set aside annually by the Waihi Company to redeem in ten years the £500,000 capital recently acquired by that company.

By Mr Tunks: He had heard no complaints in Karangahake amongst the men as to the wages now ruling1. The present work in the Talisman was being- done entirely out of capital.

By Mr Drumm: Speaking- as a married man, he could live as cheaply in Karangahake as in Auckland. He thought the prices charged at Karangahake a fair guide to the cost of living for a family. There were IIJB men at present employed at the Talisman mine, chiefly on contract, only five or six being on wages. These' contract men averaged 9/4 per day for the last twelve months. That was very different to the 9/ asked by the Miners' Union, as when working for wages many of the men loafed, and under the contract system the men worked much harder and brought out more stuff, and the company got more work for their money. The men were not sweated. It was not possible for a company to get as much work out of wages men as small contractors could unless the mine manager employed a shift boss to look after every wages man.

By Mr Drumm: The Company works from adit levels.

By Mr Curtis: The Company sometimes sank winzes to a depth of 200 feet. As reg-ards loafing-, this is usually done at night time. Witness instanced a ease where men employed on wages stoped 21 fathoms, and on contract the same men stoped 2S fathoms in the same time.

Mr Drumm asked if witness was prepared to swear there was no change in the ground from the time they worked on wages till they worked on contract? Witness: 1 am not prepared to swear that. Mr Lucas asked: "How could the men go on late at night and come off early without the shift boss knowing it?" ■ The witness replied that there were eight levels, and it took the shift boss two hours to get from the first to the last level. By the chairman: Very little overtime was worked, and no extra rate was paid for it. No one under IS years was employed as bracemen in the mine. William Goldsworthy, mine manager of the Talisman Consolidated Company for the last six years, examined by Mr Curtis, deposed he had been engaged mining for 30 years, during 21 of which he acted as mine manager. He had heard nocomplaints of the contract system in the Talisman nor as to wages paid to miners and surfacemen. The best miners prefer contracts and asked for them. That was because they were more independent, earned more money, and took more interest in their work. In cross cuts tenders were called for a certain distance, and further conif they are satisfactory to the men. if tey are satisfactory to the men. In stopes monthly contracts were let at per fathom, and contractors were worth more money than wages men, because they broke more ground and earned more monay, and the company benefited also. In many cases contractors did 33 per cent, more work than wages men. In contracting if the reef opened out wide he always allowed side measurement. He considered the mine manager should have power to order the dismissal of any man on a contract without stating a reason. He had known of men coming to the face intoxicated, of others who were reckless in the use of explosives, of others. who refused to timber the drive in a safe manner, and such men should not be in a mine. In case of any accident the company was liable unless they could prove there was no negligence on their part. He thought surfacemen should work eight hours a day. He saw no reason why wages should be

higher now than ever they were. He thought a single man could live at Karangahake for 7/6 per day. Picked surface labourers received 8/ per day, also miners on wages. He got plenty of picked men at that rate. He knew of many families in Karangahake living comfortably on 8/ per day. Overtime was only worked when it could not possibly be avoided. If overtime was a regular thing men should get an extra rate. By Mr Fawcus: Witness thought time and a half on Sunday fair for systematic Sunday worK.

By Mr Daw: An experienced miner was competent to determine the value of working stopes, drives, etc. When letting contracts he selected, if possible, a good party of men. The men had never expressed dissatisfaction with the system of contracting. Tn Karangahake contracts were generally let for one month, and in that case there Avere no penalties for throwing it up. When ground was opened up with winzes and drives, an experienced miner could estimate fairly accurately the value of a block of ground by examining it. He knew of no unnecessary Sunday work in Karangahake.

By Mr Bell: He only knew of three or four dividend paying mines in the Auckland district. All miners were not equally valuable, and should not be paid alike.

By Mr Ttinks: Plenty of inefficient miners were employed in that district. If youths were not allowed to learn the mining the supply of miners must be kept up by importing them. Wages were as high now as four or five years ago, and the conditions all round were better for the miner. He knew of no reason for a rise in wages now. He made no distinction between unionist and non-unionist.

By Mr Drumm: The same men had been working on contract between three and four years on certain blocks, and they had never been changed. Good contractors could make 10/, 11/ and often 12/ per day, but they must be miners. Most of the miners at Karangahake lived in their own houses and did not buy firewood, as there was plenty in the place. There had been two accidents in mines during the last year.

By Mr Potts: Contractors work less than the .usual time through taking holidays. By Mr Curtis: Ah inquiry was made in the two fatal accidents mentioned, and the verdict in each case was accidental death, no negligence being attributed to the company. The Inspector of Mines entirely exonerated the company from blame. By Mr Rich: Some miners could earn 12/ where others could not earn 6/, but a few inefficient miners in a party would reduce the wages of the whole party. By Mr Fawcus: He did not think the Board could improve the present system of contracting. He considered, speaking generally, the contract system was the best for getting out low grade ore. By the chairman: Where a man was employed continuously on Sunday he should receive time and a half. Not less than one boy to four men should be employed if they wanted to keep up the supply of good miners, lhis concluded Mr Goldsworthy's evidence, and the Court adjourned.

Hie following appeared In part ot jur edition last evening: — P AERO A SITTING. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) PAEROA, this day. The Conciliation Board sitting was opened here to-day, Mr Alison being absent. The companies were represented by Messrs Barry, Rhodes, Montgomery, Tunks, Boyd, Daw, Rich. Brown, Curtis, VVooliner and Hardy. Mr Daw, manager of the Crown Mines, asked permission to make an opening address. The Chairman said that the mine owners opened their case at Coromandel, and he assumed that the first busij ness here would be to call witnesses.

Mr Rhodes explained that the Coromandel address represented the views only of mine owners assembled at Coromandel, and did not bind employers here.

After an hour's discussion Mr Daw said, to shorten matters, he would reserve what he had to say till the close of the case. Mr Daw said he would like to know if the Union case was definitely closed. Having been informed it was, Mr Daw asked would the Union permit Karangahake mines to be exempted from the award made by the Board? Messrs Drumm and Potts stated that they could not without consulting the Union members. Mr Daw then intimated he would not call any witnesses. He understood the Karangahake branch of the Miners' Union desired no change, and had notified the Union to that effect.

Mr Potts and Mr Drumm stated no such intimation had been received.

Mr Curtis, representing the Talisman Consolidated Co., called E. H. Kitching, who had been chief clerk and accountant for that Company, for the last five years. He stated that the work was chiefly done by contract. He had prepared a statement showing the number of shifts worked by contractors an men during 1 the twelve months ending March, 1901. .The average nett earnings during that period was 9/4 per shift per man. He had never heard any complaints from contractors and men, who were thoroughly satisfied with the conditions of contract. Only once had a contract deposit been retained, when the contract was thrown up, and then only for seven days, till he had been instructed by Mr Curtis to return it. The cost of living at Karangahake was 16/ per week for board and lodgings, and was no dearer now than some years ago. The result of increased wages and interference with the contract system would be that there would be no profit for the Company at all. By Mr Daw: Contractors were not interfered with in the hours they work.