SOUTH ISLAND MIMES.

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

SOUTH ISLAND MIMES.

WORK CEASED AT MIDNIGHT. "IN SYMPATHY "WITH HTTNTI.Y MEN." FULLY 1500 MEN AFFECTED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) ■ • CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Work in West Coast mines ceased at midnight, and fully , 1500 men are affected. The decision by ballot for a Dominion-wide strike was apparently sudden, for mine managers on the Coast were not notified of the strike until late yesterday afternoon after the men had left the "mines. Then the announcement was made that the mines would be idle to-day, the men Slaving decided to strike in sympathy with the Huntly men.

It is stated by a West Coast mine official that although the West Coast miners are said to be striking in sympathy, their action is really a protest against the ultimatum recently delivered by the Coal Mine Owners' Association, who asked the men to accept new working conditions, which they claimed represented a lowering of wages and general conditions. On May 16. after the unions had received the demand for a new agreement from the Owners' Association, stop.-work meetings were held all over the West Coast, .and the miners decided to strike until,the owners made arrangements for a conference.

•A conference was agreed to, and a few days afterwards the men returned to work on the understanding, according to a statement, made by Mr. W. M. Purdy, secretary of the West Coast Miners' District Council, that the owners and men would meet within a fortnight. This conference had not been arranged, Mr. Piirdy stated, last night, although the Owriers' Association had offered to meet the unions over the question in dispute in the North Island.

Representatives of the coal companies state that, in anticipation of trouble, stocks have been built up,, and the amount of coal held in bins and at city depote is said to be unusually large for this time of year.

SOUTHLAND MINES IDLE,

LONG STRIKE NOT EXPECTED. (By Telegraph.—rress Association.) INVERCARGILL, this day. All coal mine* in the Ohui and Nightcape district are idle as the result of the men striking in sympathy with northern miners. Owners do not anticipate a protracted strike.