COAL SLUMP.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18917, 4 February 1927, Page 8

COAL SLUMP.

SERIOUS POSITION AT KAITANGATA. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. ITHE PRESS Special Serylce.] DUNEDIN, February 3. The seriousness of the position at Faitangnta at present was disclosed today when a deputation of miners waited upon tho Hon. Mr Downie Stewart with a request for immediate- Goveru- . cut assistance. It was stated that the men were owed £7113 13s Id m wages, and it would appear that the company would not bo able to start operations. Tho few men kept on lor safety purposes at the mine were not being paid, and were getting restive. L they withdrew, the mine would be ruined. . .

Mothers and children in Kailangata were faced with sturrution, and not a few .-ere starving now. JLitere was no relief in Kaitangata. In most other towns the larger body of employed would be able to assist tho unemployed, but in tho case of Kaitangata the only people who could bo expected to render any assistance were themselves out of work. The fact that the mines had been working very erratically for tho past year had made the miners' present position the more precarious. A total of 1700 people was affected, and as there was no money about, the local tradespeople could not bo expected to teed such a number for nothing. It was stated that in a few days the shops would hare to close their doors. The deputation requested that the Government should take immediate steps provide relief. Mr J. W. Kenton (.Mayor of Kaitangata) suggested that the Government should pav tho men's wages and then sue tL; company.

Mr Stewart said that was not possible. It would creato a dangerous p:icedent. and, moreover, the mens legal advisers were as cajwblo of suing the company as was the Government. In the mrft of providing relief, the Acting-Prime Minister said he had 20110 into the question with Mr J. R. Marks, of the Public Works Department, and was in a very anomalous position. He was prepared to find the money, but ho could not find tho work, li* had assured tho Public Works Engineer that if hi would undertake various road works tho money would bo provided bv tin Government. P"d not charged to the Public Works Department account. Tho difficulty ther were up aeainst was that jfc was'almost impossible to find in such an old settled district th« e1...; of work required to z< « employment to a large number of men._ Most of tho neressnrv road work was ;„ tj ie na t ure 0 p repn which entailed a good deal of maebine work and esnense. but little manual work. In conclusion, Mr Stewart assured the deputation that work would be found to relieve the position He would find the monev if someone would find the work to be done