MINERS GO-SLOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 207, 30 August 1920, Page 5

MINERS GO-SLOW.

NO SETTLEMENT YEL POINTS IN DISPUTE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.; . WEXXINGTON, this day. The points in dispute as between thv miners and the coal mine owners do not seem to be very serious, and tie money involved is merely a few hundred pounds a year, but the miners state that the agreement is not being interpreted fairly and that their interpretation must be adopted by the employers. The employers are willing to refer the points in dispute to an impartial arbitrator, but the miners apparently do not intend to agree to this course. From the federation point of view the disputes may be stated thus: — Taratu: The company is paying 3d pet hour less for pillar working than that provided in the national agreement. Green Island: The company is paying a tonnage rate which is 4Jd less than that provided in the national agreement. There is also a demand for the reinstatement of a trucker named Manderson, who, it is stated, has been "victimised." Some time ago, the federation states, Manderson suffered an injury to his leg. After he had sufficiently recovered the company refused to employ him unless he "signed away his rights" for further compensation, should he meet, with an accident. Manderson is a married man with four children, and has been compelled to leave the district and seeW work elsewhere. Mataura: Shift workers are receiving 14/ and 15/ a day, as against 18/ per day provided in the national agreement. Further, tonnage rates paid by the company are 1/3 less than the rates provided in the national agreement. THE EMPLOYERS' CASE. The employers state that they are willing to abide by Mr. Hally's decision on all points in dispute. In a statement reviewing the position, Mr. W. Pryor, secretary of the federation, said: "The Mataura Company is not in the federation, and as far as it is concerned I can say nothing. "The disputes connected with the other mines have been considered first by the district disputes committees, second by the National Disputes Committee, and third by a conference presided over by the Prime Minister. Notwithstanding all these meetings and conferences no settlement was arrived at. The employers have repeatedly offered to accept tile decision of any independent chairman from the Prime Minister down, while the Miners* Federation has stated that it will not accept the decision of any body on tile points in dispute. Even--1 tunlly Mr. Massey arranged that Mr. ; Hally should inquire into the various disputes, and Mr. Hallly is at present i engaged in that work. So far as the j Taratu mine is concerned, the question j of pillars was never mentioned at the ', different conferences, and I do not underI stand this reference in the federation ! statement of the points in dispute. Apart . from that, however, the Taratu and Green Island employers assert that they are already paying more than is required by the provisions of the national agreement. In any case, Mr. Hally is still making investigations, and it seems somewhat out of place for the federation to order the operation of 'go 8 1-w' while Mr. Hally is continuing his investigations.

I "On behalf of the employers concerned I will guarantee that if the parties cannot arrive at an agreement, the employers will accept the decision of Mr. Hally on all the points in dispute. "The case of alleged victimisation—that of the man Manderson—is in a different category. It is asserted that Manderson met with an accident in the mine, but there is ground for solid suspicion that the injury to his knee from which he was suffering was the result of a fall from a bicycle. Some compensation was paid to Manderson. but the insurance companies notified the employers that they would not cover Manderson unless he signed an indemnity freeing the employers from any liability for further compensation in regard to t/he injured knee. The man wae offered work in connection with the mine, but, acting on the advice of the federation, refused to sign the indemnity. Under the circumstances the mining company could not rißk the payment of a claim ■which might run to £IOOO to £2OOO if the insurance companies refused the necessary cover." POSITION UNCHANGED TO-DAY. (By Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. There was no alteration to-day in the position regarding the dispute at Taratu, Green Island, and Mataura coal mines. The employers, as stated on Saturday, have agreed to leave the matter in the hands of Mr. P. Hally. He left for Wellington this morning to meet repreeentatives of the Miners' Federation. Th» Otago pits worked as usual to-day.