STATE COLLIERY DISPUTE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14988, 8 June 1914, Page 2

STATE COLLIERY DISPUTE.

AWARD FIXED BY ARBITRATION COURT*

(PJIBSI ASSOCIATION TXMCGRAU.) GREYMOUTH, June 6. The Arbitration Court's award in connexion with the Liverpool State Colliery dispute is to hand. It is the first industrial agreement for this mine, as the work has been previously done on the wage system. The award will remain in force for twelve months. Only the hewing rates have been fixed, together -with some slight increases in accordance with the proposals of the employers. As the mine is not vet properly developed it was impossible for the Court to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion as to whether the rates fixed would f\n'"h- '^ n m'rers to earn wnges equal to the' other mines in the district. The Court therefore provided a minimum wage of 10s 6d per shift. While this is sufficiently high to ensure the miner getting a fair living wage, yet is low enough to offer the miner every inducement to give tiie hewing rates a fair and reasonable trial. The Court was not able to' deal •wrth the much debated question of extra payment in force in the majority of mines in Westland. as there was no good reason why the State mine should be placed at a disadvantage in this respect. The award provides that when miners are required to work three shifts in any part of the mine. 2d per ton ndditional tonnage rate shall bo paid. Miners working in wefc places will work eix-hour shifts bank to bank. If from water or any other difficulty in sneh places they ennnot earn wages they will be paid 12s per shift. '