"MOST GENEROUS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 214, 10 September 1931, Page 3

"MOST GENEROUS."

HIKURANGI COAL TERMS.

MINERS' OPPORTUNITY.

LABOUR M.P.'S GRATIFICATION.

"It would have been suicidal on the , part of the men if they had not accepted • the offer made by the owners of Wilsons mine," declared Mr. R. Semple, , M.P., when discussing this morning the - settlement of the mining dispute at , Hikurangi. "I feel satisfied that the , arrangements made are a contribution to the welfare of the nation. The directors of the Hikurangi Company's mine had decided to close down last Monday if the struggle had continued, and to i draw their pumps. If that had hap- ' pened the whole industry would have : been abandoned, and the township desolated. Hundreds of miners, their wives , and families H would have been isolated, and destitute. "It had already been decided to close Wilsons colliery, and if the Hikurangi mine had been kept open it would have been automatically closed down after a short time owing to the percolation of water from Wilsons mine, which adjoins, but is on a higher level. The only way that was possible to save the industry was to reopen Wilsons mine, and 1 this has now been done, the men having got steam up this morning. I am positive the men will be better off _ than before if they tackle the job with a spirit of determination, and there is no reason why they should not be successful. "Truly Co-operative." "I am not conversant with how cooperation has worked in other coal mines, but, as far as I am aware, never before in any part of the world have there been such generous terms granted to the miners. The company is charging nothing for the use of machinery or for the development of the lease. _ The quantity of proved coal on the higher levels amounts to 500,000 tons. "I am satisfied that in the settlement not one single trade union principle has been violated. The foundation has been laid for the working of a truly cooperative system, the workers having a voice in the control of an industry and having the opportunity to use their own initiative and - their own managerial capacity to do a job in a way they think it should be done. This is in striking contrast to the tribute system, which is repugnant to the miners. The men at Hikurangi had to choose between the arrangement made and the No. 5 scheme. There is insufficient work in the country for the thousands of men who are out of employment, and there is no doubt in my mind that a wise decision was made." Different from Tribute Mining. Discussing the co-operative and the tribute systems, Mr. Semple said there was a misunderstanding in the minds of many as to methods of working a mine. There was no comparison between the two systems. The tribute system was applicable to gold-mines, and not to coal. To his mind it was. an unfair method of work from the miners' standpoint. It was operated on a percentage basis. If little or no gold was won from the quartz mined the miner received nothing, or next to nothing. He had known men in Australia working in tribute mines for months without receiving a penny, and all the time they were developing the mine for the owners. In any case, the percentage was very small. As a contrast, the arrangement made at Hikurangi with respect to Wilson's mine included the handing over by the company to the miners of all machinery and assets, representing a share capital of £50,000, and there were no interest charges to pay. The miners undertook to sell the coal for £1 a ton to the company, which agreed to take a minimum quantity of 800 tons per week. A royalty of lOd a ton was to be paid by the men. The royalty payments would not be retained by the company, but would go to the owners of the land, who had leased to the company. It had been decided to make an endeavour to have the royalty reduced. The company had to pay between £500 and £600 per annum for land rent and rates, apart from royalty. The actual working , expenses of the mine would be paid by the miners, who contracted to keep the machinery in order, but there would be no charge for depreciation. The miners appointed their own manager, and if he did not suit they could 'dispense with his services at any time. The detailed working of the mine was left entirely to the men. Security of Tenure. The whole agreement would be - reviewed in twelve months, but the company had undertaken not to lease to any other group or to work the colliery itself, and if the miners were willing" to carry on after a year they could do so. "The men have really obtained security of tenure," said Mr. Semple. Mr. Semple said he and Mr. W. E. Parrv, M.P., wished to thank Mr. H. M. Rusliworth, M.P. for the district, for the assistance he had given, and they all wished to thank the coal companies for their courtesy and co-operation. The officials of the Miners' Union and the rank and file had also given valuable assistance in arriving at a settlement. The three Parliamentary representatives had promised to approach the Government with a view to securing a reduction in freight from the mines to Portland and a share in the coal orders of the Railway Department, "to keep the miners at full time."