DRIFTING AWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 164, 11 July 1919, Page 7

DRIFTING AWAY.

DISAPPEARANCE Or MINERS. GETTING INTO THE SUN. LABOUR CONDITIONS DISCUSSED. (By TeTesrap'a.—special to "'Stnr.") WELLINGTON-, this day. . -Scores of miners are working on the •wharves at Auckland and Wellington who refused to go back to the mines after having been on active service, hecause they go; better eondition-s in the sunlight." declared Mr Holland, member for Grey, in the course of the Labour federation".- deputation to the Ministers, •srhea the coal situation was incidentally discussed. Mr Seraple, M.P., criticised the Canterbury plan to house miners in railway liniments, lie emphasised the danger of introducing unskilled labour, and said he was sure that miners, for the men's own sake, T\ou!d refuse to work with inexperienced person* He ridiculed the proposal for the use of hutments as coming from Dr. Thaeker, who had taken a leading part in the town-planning conference. Miners were leaving coalfields because the conditions under which tliev lived were not fit for their children. A trceker was paid 10/6 a day and a bonus, but in Manawatu a man could earn 14/ a day in the open air flaxcntting. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald (Minister for Mines) said it was only in the last twelve months they had had any serious complaints about the housing of miners. He had realised some time ago the need for thorough investigation of mining, and it had been made. There was nothing in the report to which legislative effect had beon given, but there were many valuable suggestions which he hoped would be given effect to. He suggested that in every mining township a housing committee should at once be set up to go into the question of sites, and what should be done. Mining companies had pointed out to liim that many miners" houses were on Crown land, and practically owned by miners, and if "the townships were built by companies they did not know that the miners would go to them. In Runanga miners had taken control of the town, and were running it very creditably. He hoped they would be able to develop electricity by the use of waste coal, and in other ways see that new townships were laid out on modern lines. He had sent the mining inspector and engineer to Australia. He had been there three months investigating the tise of waste coal, etc.. for the development of electricity. They had lost about 110 men from the State mines since the Christmas holidays, but they were hoping the men would go back, as there was accommodation for them. A member of the leputation: "Miners are drifting away." The Minister: "I could tell you a 3oj. about that, but I am not going to."' Transportation of miners, he said, was a difficult problem, and that was one of tiie questions to consider which he sug« gested for committees of miners. The Minister said he pointed out to the deputation that there was the CoaJ Mines Act in existence, also they had fliines opened up, well equipped, and were now opening up new ones, which would absorb al! the labour available to the hest advantage. If the men were willing- to go into hutments he would have to be satisfied that the conditions were safe for their health.