WAIHI MINERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 207, 30 August 1916, Page 4

WAIHI MINERS.

CLAM FOR A HEW AW-JCB/; COURT RESERVES ITS JIECISIO^f The Court of Arbitration has reserrtd its decision in connection with the. clfio for a new agreement by the Ohinemuri Mines-and Batteries employees .oth? than engineers, engine-drivers,' and !?*£•■■' mqn. His Honor Mr. Justice" Stria* presided, with Messrs. W. ■■ Scott ,«bJ J. A. McCullough as assessors.' .; .-_--.-,. - In closing the case for the nuois? companies Mr. -Pryor said that.. m last award the miners and surface I»H ourers received increases in wa e r es...whjcl> had'more "than met thei .extra cost.«'.■. living occasioned by the "war. ItdooKea. as though the union had come forwara for the sake of making -a having done so expected the i C w ?*_? : grant it. The evidence had shown tw. the men had the advantage of. .Tj_J\. cheap rents at Waihi, and that ijr™tf ; so desired they need never lose a .aap' work. They were at least. la/::p«.??V . better off there than i The increased income tax.affettw the "Waihi Company to -the ** tent of £14,000 per annum, if the demands of the .men'■were P*»\r. the result would be to.bring the ntm'»= industry nearer its end.' Further, .otwr mining centres in New Zealand ->»?£: watching the result of the case. v£. MrV Wesley Richards, i ___J_?* the imion, said that the would not inflict hardsMp on,pro»P^- : ing or struggling companies. "Tbejoew,; enir.g of the bigger mines-had rreiroersj the work more dangerous, the _*•!?,.'. gases have a detrimental; (the health of the miners. .- jiJ--His Honor: Do you say are greater than when- the :ia*t aw • was made? i ""■''■£. •«—* 1 Mr. Richards: Yes; owing to the ening of the mines. . ' 4i_t ' His Honor: The evidence the general conditions «e'h<__*_-^;■ Mr. Richards emphasised "__*___%■" of the. union's claims, and.auW 1 " award recently made in J»f*gJ : , ••:; miners at Broken HiU;Ani^»_^;^_j: His Honor intubated that ,»•**"• would reserve its decisioßt r- *■ -