WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17706, 7 March 1923, Page 7

WEST COAST NOTES

A COMING CELEBRATION. , (BPBCIAL TO "THE PBESB.") GEEYMOUTH, March 6. This morning.a sub-committee of the Tunnel Committoe, headed by the Mayor of Groymouth, conferred with the District Engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr J. D. Gillies) and the District Traffic Clerk of Bailways (Mr Sword), who acted in the absence of the District Traffic Manager, Mr E. Cameron. Details of the proposed arrangement for celebrating the opening of the tunnel were thoroughly enquired into, and means of arranging for the comfort and convenience or the thousands of people who would visit Otira and Arthur's Pass were considered. Mr Sword said he would refer the matter to Mr Cameron on his return. He could assure the deputation that all possible would be done to meet the occasion. Mr Gillies, said ho would consult the heads of his Department, and all possible would be done to assist the Coast in worthily celebrating the tunnel's opening. A Wages Case. Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's Court to-dav, when the Westland Timber Yards and Sawmills Employees' Industrial Union of Workers proceeded ngainst Stratford, Blair and Co. (Mr F. A. Kitchingham) for the maximum penalty of £IOO for a breach of clause 9 of the award. Defendants claimed that the clause was impracticable, owing to the involved nature of the work of checking preparatory to the payment of wages. The clause reads as follows: "All wages shall be paid in cash twice monthly. The first payment shall lie for a period of two weoks, and the second payment for the remainder of .the calendar month. Three days only shall be allowed to the employer to make up his time sheets after the expiration of each date, and shall be observed by each person, 'firm, or company." Frederick Lovell Turley, secretary of the union, said that a meeting was duly called and held nt Kumara on February 23rd, and a resolution was passed giving the witness the necessary authority to proceed against the company for a breach of the award. The union had given a "great deal of latitude'' to mills that I were any distance out of town, but it was too serious when mills were near town. Mr Kitchingham; Why did you hold a meeting at Kumara! ■■ Your registered office is in Greymouth, and the mills where you grievance was centred were near Greymouth?—We held it there because we could get more men to attend. "I Bee," said Mr Kitchingham, "you hold a meeting and make sure the men affected can't attend. When -there is a grievance at Greymouth you hold a meeting at Kumara, and when the grievance is at Kumara you hold a meeting at Greymouth." Addressing the Magistrate, Mr Kitchingham said the fact that paymen| was not made by the third of the month was admitted, but the clause of the award was so stringent that the company was handicapped. Defendants were in a unique position. They had five mills and two sash and door factories in scattered localities, all of which had to •bo dealt with as one concern. Taking the company's Hulcarere mill as an instance, the checking of timber on,skids took a full day, so that if> it were done on the first of the month the returns would not reach the company unti} the second day, and it would take the whole of that'day. to. make them up. Payments could not be made by cheque; cash had to be given to the men, and it was consequently necessary for Mr D. Tennent to make personal payment. Other mills were in the same position. They found it impossible, owing to the train services, to pay by the- third of the month. The company had 1 tried honestly %o comply'with' the award, but under the circumstances found it impossible. The Magistrate said it seemed to him that Mr Tennent wished to have the firm working as an entity, and to carry out the payment of salaries at one time. He had been compelled to commit at times a technical breach , of the award. In the case which had previously come before him, the facts were different. In the quickest time possible, Mr Tennent went to each mill in turn and made personal payment. It did-not appear that any complaint had been made to the company by any of the workmen, and he thought he must hold that Mr Tennent had acted honestly and that a breach of the award occurred because it was impossible to comply with the award. The company was doing a certain amount of public good in employing so many hands, and it was advisable that payment of wages should be carried out as. smoothly aB possible. Judgment would be for the defendant without costs. Shooting' Season. The following recommendations have been made by the Grey Acclimatisation Society to the of Internal Affairs in reference to this year's shooting season:—That separate licenses be issued for native and imported game at a fee of 10s each, instead of £1 for both, as previously; that an open season for shooting red as well as fallow deer be proclaimed. Strike Charges Withdrawn. Ministerial recognition of the heroism of Blackball miners in the recent fire was made at the Magistrate's Court toway, when the inspector of labour (Mr G. F. Grieve) informed Mr W. G. Meldrum, S.M., that he had been instructed by the Minister of Labour to withdraw the charges of illegal striking "made against about 120 Blackball miners. "This case was heard some months ago when one man whose case was taken as a test was fined," said Mr Grieve. "An appeal was lodged, but when it came before the Court at Wellington last week it was withdrawn. In those circumstances, the Department will now waive right to claim the penalty from the men." Boiler Licensing Committee. The following nominations have been received by Mr A. -E. Reynolds, returning officer for the Buller licensing district: —Messrs B. Ellery, G. Hawkes, A. Hunter, G. Mclnroe, W. H.'McIntyre, J. o'R«gan, R. Patterson, and C. H. Thomas. As only five members are required an election will be held on March 13th. Man Missing. No further news has been received regarding David Clarke, 29 years of age, who is missing from Mokihinui. He'left Berry's Hotel, Mokihinui, on Sunday morning, in a bathing suit, to go surfing. Constables are conducting a search for the missing man. Personal. Constable Withers, of Dnnollie, is suffering from a severe attack of pneumonia, and is an inmate of the Grey Eiver Hospital. The Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Mines, will officially open the (Jranity School of Mines on Satbrday.