FINAL ACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 233, 1 October 1932, Page 9

FINAL ACT.

WARO MINE CLOSES. PUMPS WITHDRAWN TO-DAY. BREACH BETWEEN WORKERS. THREAT TO MANAGING DIRECTOR. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, this day. After several weeks of doubt and alarms, tie miner shareholders of the Waro Co-operative Colliery woke up this morning to find their employment gone. Following" the refusal of the Unemployment Board to provide a loan for pumping, Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement, Ltd., owners of the mine, telegraphed to Mr. Scott Davidson, managing director, last evening to etart drawing the pumps immediately. That work was put in hand at 6.30 o'clock this morning, and so the word "finis" is written to the year's endeavours of the co-operative concern to put the mine on a payable basis. It is the end of the mine, for, with the pumps out, it will not be long in flooding, and, once flooded, will never be dcwatered, the men say, because the cost of providing sufficient plant to do the work would be tremendous. "The board of directors has done everything possible to save the field," said Mr. Davidson last evening, "but without avail. We had no ulterior motive in keeping the mine open during the last week, when the men refused to work. We were not working for ourselves; we were trying to save the field and make employment for the men. Unfortunately, they could not see that."

The breach between the directors and the men, which commenced at the beginning / 6f last week when the men refused to work and the directors continued hewing coal to keep the pumps going, and to fulfil their bond with the owners, grew wider all week, and a nasty position arose yesterday. The union formed by the men held an indignation meeting on Thursday, when the cause of the breach —the directors' decision to choose the men to work the mine last week—was discussed.

The discussion was neated, and it was decided to march to the mine. There they demanded to eee the directors, who were down the mine hewing coal, and asked for an explanation. As Mr. Davidson was away, the directors refused, and the men dispersed. Yesterday, however, they met again, and invited Mr. Davidson to speak to them. Aa he did not know what decision Wilsons had made in regard to the mine, and would not know until late in the afternoon, Mr, Davidson refused to do so. The men did not take this well, and crowded into the company's small office demanding that he address them.