WORK STOPPED FOR DAY AT MINE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27498, 4 November 1954, Page 14

WORK STOPPED FOR DAY AT MINE

CAUSE EXPLAINED BY MANAGEMENT (From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, Nov. 3. The monthly meeting of the Westland District-Progress League was told by Mr A. Dalziel that a miner who took five weeks off work to compete in major professional cvcling races in other parts of tlje Dominion was responsible for the one-day stoppage of work at the Strongman State coal mine on Monday. This miner had been given two weeks’ leave by the -mine management for his cycling activities, but after five weeks he turned up last Monday for work, said Mr Dalziel. The management told him that his job had been filled. “With that, all the men went home and the mine was idle for the day. We can’t produce coal economically like that,” ne said. “To encourage industries to make use of our coal we must get it out economically. That is a matter that the industry looks at, and stoppages such as the one this week are not overlooked. This is one factor that has closed the New Zealand market to coal,” he said. When the matter was referred to the district manager of State coal mines, Mr J. McArthur, he said that at Monday’s discussion it had been suggested that the union take some action m regard to men who absented themselves without leave, and it had been agreed that the union would do its best to maintain regular attendances. There had been a misunderstanding in the case of the cyclist, who had understood from a telephone discussion with the mine manager that his leave had been extended to allow him to go to the North Island, said Mr McArthur. The manager had held that he was not in a position to grant such an extension. The man concerned was usually a reliable and steady worker, and he had been taken on again on the understanding that there would be no recurrence of the incident, he said. Reasonable leave was granted for participation in sport where it was warranted, said Mr McArthur.