HUNTLY COAL MINES IDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 114, 13 May 1920, Page 4

HUNTLY COAL MINES IDLE.

COMPLAXNT OF HO TRUCKS, MINERS WIRE PKEMIER. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent ; HtTXTLY, this day. There is no work at the Taupiri Mines to-day, no trucks being available. Tie union is wiring to Mr. Massey, Minister of Railways. TRUCKS AVAILABLE. TO SHIFT PULL DAY'S HEWING, The head office of the Taupiri Company confirmed the statement that the mines were idle, adding that the miners refused to go to work on the ground that there were not enough railway trucks on the spot to remove the full day's output. The output for a day requires from 170 to 180 six-ton wagons to shift it, and thi* morning- there were only enough trucks on hand to keep the mines going till midday. The men declined to start work, contending that it was not worth while to go down for half a day, although tracks were then waiting on the aiding which would have taken a full half day's supply.

The railway traffic authorities in Auckland, in answer to inquiries, state* that there were 98 trucks ready at tht mines this morning, and that a sufficient number for a full day's output of coal would have been available before the afternoon. It was pointed out that the railway authorities had difficulties of their own in keeping up the wagon supply for all purposes, but they had always made special efforts to feed the coal mines with trucks, end that to-d«y, as on the last occasion, the trucks were there for the coal as it reached tht hoppers.