NO WORK AT HUNTLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 133, 7 June 1932, Page 8

NO WORK AT HUNTLY.

'AMPLE STOCKS OH HAND. FOR CITY SUPPLIES. NO DIFFICULTY EXPECTED. Nearly 1000 men employed in mines hi the Waikato, who declared a striko yesterday against the terms offered by the mine owners for a new agreement, were idle again to-day. The men were employed at the Renown, Pukeniiro, Rotown.ro, Glen Aftoil and McDonald mines, and all five mines were idle today. This morning only mine officials, : deputies and engine men were on duty, j

About :jOO men met in Himtly yesterday morning, and in the afternoon the mining- villages weve visited by officials of the Northern Miners' Union District Council, and addressee were delivered to the men.

Local Supplies. Inquiries made this morning from the higgesi firms show that the supplies of coal on hand are regarded a* satisfactory unless the strike is prolonged. There is sufficient to meet all demands, both industrial and domestic, for some weeks, and merchants were hopeful this morning that the dispute between the miners and owners would be settled long before the present stocks got down so low as to cause uneasiness.

Asked if there was any chance of the price of coal being raised as a result of the strike, the reply in all instances was !n the negative. "There is no chance of the public being exploited," said one merchant.

To-day all was quiet at FTuntly. No meetings were held and the town was ''dead." The men are apparently content to await the next move on the part of the owners following the telegram sent yesterday to the secretary of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association, Mr. T. 0. Bishop. The telegram read: "We insist on an opportunity to discuss objectionable clauses iin mediately, or the withdrawal of same in favour of the old agreement." Carbonisation Plant Working. The carbonisation plant at Rotowaro, in which the Renown, Pukcniiro and Taupiri collieries are all concerned, is not affected by the strike. Comparatively few men are employed, and they are not members of the Miners' Union. There is at present 30,000 tons of slack available, and this would supply approximately 14,000 tons of earbonettes.

In addition to the carbonisation plant at Rotowaro, the Wilton colliery is not affected by the strike, and the men are working. At the colliery about 80 men are employed, find at the carbonisation plant 27. The owners of the Wilton Colliery recently withdrew from the Coal Mine Owners' Association, and the employees arc working under the old agreement. Ship from Newcastle. The stocks held by the railways and the Lias Company are large, and sufficient for isonie time to come. A ship is due later this month from Newcastle with thousands of tons from Australia, and most of this is for the Auckland Gas Company. The average amount of coal handled daily by the railways from the Waikato mines is about 4000 tout;, but yesterday only 400 tons were handled, and this comprised slack which had accumulated at the mine heads prior to the men downing tools. Mine Owners' Right. The president of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Federation, Colonel W. D. Holgate, when asked to furnish a statement from the coal mine owners' point of view regarding the stoppage in the industry, said: "I have nothing to state, other than that I consider the strike is on the question of the owners insisting upon the right of taking on the men most suitable for the job, and of dismissing men when they have no work fur them."