GAS RESTRICTED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 92, 19 April 1945, Page 6

GAS RESTRICTED

LOW QUALITY COAL AND RETORT HOUSE DISPUTE As the combined, result of the inferior coal available and the refusal of retort house workers at the Auckland Gas Company's works to increase the number of retort charges, gas was once more in restricted supply in Auckland to-day. "It appears reasonably certain that this evening gas will be on from 5' p.m. Xo 7.30 p.m.," said Mr. R. Worley, manager of the gas company, this afternoon. "It may be available until considerably later, and, if so, consumers are asked to use it only for essential purposes. There is every indication of a service similar to to-day's pertaining tomorrow. "Should the Karepo get away from Greymouth to-day she should be available for unloading early on Monday morning, which would mean her cargo of coal would be in the retort house on Monday evening. Under such circumstances, even under the present limited number of charges per hour, it is possible that the supply next week will not be seriously restricted, as the coal in the Karepo is very much better than we are using at present." There was sufficient gas-making plant available at the works to meet all demands, and the present difficulties would have been avoided had not the workers in the horizontal retort house refused to charge sufficient retorts to produce the gas required, said Mr. Worley. The union had set up its members of a disputes committee under the award and the company had set up its members, but the men had refused to agree to a meeting of the committee until appeals of certain workers had been heard by the Industrial Manpower Committee. As the hearing of these appeals had been postponed until Monday next there were no immediate prospects of a settlement. Because of the inferior coal then available, the company decided last Monday week to increase the number of charges from the summer level of 15 to 17 an hour. The men refused to increase the number of charges and the result was that stocks of gas in the holders had steadily dwindled. Background to Dispute ■ Mr. Worley said it had been recognised by the company and the employees that 18 charges of coal an hour constituted a day's work. Less than this number was required in summer unless the coal was inferior. For the past three or four months an average of not more than 15 charges of coal had been required. Up to 20 charges were required of the men during 1943 and 1944, each man being paid 2/ a shift for each additional charge over 18 an hour. In November last the company considered there was no need for more than 18 charges an hour and moved to cease the extra payments, said Mr. Worley. The men objected to this. The parties did not reach an agreement at a meeting of a disputes committee set up by the Government, but the chairman of the committee, Mr. J. A. Gilmour, S.M., decided that the men's award rate be increased from £1 3/ a shift to £1 4/4. With the addition of the two cost-of-living bonuses and the production bonus, the ordinary shift payment for eight hours was £1 8/6.