COAL TROUBLE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16933, 7 September 1920, Page 6

COAL TROUBLE.

SITUATION STILL SERIOUS. (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") * WELLINGTON, September G. i The coal-mining situation is regarded here as being still serious. The men at two of the important Watkato mines refused to go to work this morning. The miners insist upon (retting reduced fares on the railway. They demand the same concession as was recently granted to the men at the State mine on the West Coast. The cases, however, are said not to be parallel, because in the case of the State miners they cannot live in the vic'nitv of the mine. At the Blackball mino the position remains the same, and the miners arc continuing the go-slow policy, because two blacksmiths have refused to pay the lew to assist the miners at Broken Hill, wiio have been on strike for many months. . The po=it : on in Australia is also critical, and the general tendency to reduce hours of work at the wharves at Newcastle and Sydney is going to make the situation still more difficult for Now Zealand. In "Wellington many houses are at present without coal,"and as there is n considerable amount of sickness, and the weather continues bitterly cold, the want of fires is greatly felt. Those who are ill with severe colds or influenza have to remain in bed. THE WATEATO MINERS. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND", September G. Stop-work meetings were held to-day at Huntly, Pukemiro, and Rotowaro in connexion with the demand for railway concessions similar to those granted to tne men employed in the State coal mines. It was recently stated that the miners had intimated their intention not to go to work to-day unless these, concessions were granted. Approached by a reporter for a statement on the position, t'he secretary of the Pukemiro Collieries, Ltd., said that the first intimation has company had was from tho secretary of tho Coal Owners' Association on Wednesday last. "Our company," he said, "has not been approached on the matter in any way by the Pukemiro Union or any member of it._ AVe understand from the secretary of our Association that our workers _ residing in Huntly demand a reduction in railway fares from tiho workers' tickets rate of 4s 9d per week to the suburban rates of 2s Gd or 2s 3d per week, which the Railway Department has declined. It is therefore a dispute between tho Railway Department and the workers. About 25 per cent, of our workers reside in Huntly. Many of them have had fin opportunity of obtaining houses at Pukemiro at different times, but they prefer to_ reside in Huntly. When a man is given employment, no question is asked as to where he intends to reside. The Pukemiro Company is quite prepared to carry on with the workers resident there, and allow the Huntly men to follow other occupations. They voluntarily came to our employment, and we cannot in any way compel them to continue. It, was only in the last fortnight that tho miners were granted an advance in rates which brought their average daily wage to over 30s on days worked." AUCKLAND INDUSTRIES THREATENED. (PEESS /SSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, September 6. In connexion with the strike at the Huntly, Pukemiro, and Rotowaro mines, the cessation of work, which was decided on' at to-day's stop-work meetings, threatens # to seriously interfere with numerous industrial concerns that depend on their power from Pukemiro coal. The City Council and other local bodies will also bo affected. Among the industrial concerns depending largely on Pukemiro coal arc the Northern Roller Mills, a number of biscuit factories, bakeries, freezing companies, dairy factories, and breweries.