THE WAIHI UNREST.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14404, 11 July 1912, Page 7

THE WAIHI UNREST.

XO SIGN OF SOLUTION

THE COMPANIES FIRM

(PKES3 ASSOCIATION TEMSaRAM. 1 } WAIHI, July 10.' Tho attitudo of the mining con. psnies at AVaihi towards the Labour Federation, coupled with tho recent developments between the Northern Steamship Company and the waterside workers, and between tho coal-owners and tho men at Koitangata, goes to 1 show tho determination on the part of the employers to stamp out the Fedo. Tation. This being so, there seems no prospect of an early solution to tha wining dispute here, as tho men aro still inclined to bolster up a moribund organisation, and will stand out until such timo as tho strike funds are exhausted. It has bean authoritatively stated that trioro is no possibility of tho Jocal niiues bsing opened with men associated with the Federation of Labpui. Tho possible damage by tho water in tho mines doss not enter into the ques. tion. Tho water is not likely tq .so to tho No. 10 level }n the Waihi mine this side of Christmas, and when it does it is expected that little harm will bo (done. It will tako ft year before it. rises sufficiently to do any material damage.

AVhen work is resumed it will,tako two days' pumping for every day tho mine has been idle. Consequently only comparatively few men could bd employed for some time, and months mus-s necessarily elspso before tho mines could-be fully manned. It is generally admitted that there is no place in the world where conditions of, labour are so good as in Waihi. The average,,earnings of the contractors throughout the mines, prior to the strike, wero 15s a day, and it is claimed that the earnings wero higher in Waihi than in any other part of New Jsealand, AVith regard to' current contracts ait tho -time of- tho strike, the eontr-aetprs have forfeited tho right to resume, the Btrike having given the compares legal right to cancel all contracts, The men broke tho contract agreements by absenting t.omselvivs from work.