DOBSON COAL MINE IDLE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27591, 23 February 1955, Page 12

DOBSON COAL MINE IDLE

STATEMENT BY UNION EXECUTIVE

PLAN TO CLOSE DOWN

(New Zealand Press Association) GREYMOUTH, February 22. The Dobson State coal mine was idle today and the local miners’ union has asked the national secretary, Mr F. Crook, to intervene in their dispute with the management. In a statement issued tonight, the Dobson Miners’ Union executive claims that the manager is ignoring the terms of the West Coast Coal Mines Agreement and that there exists an intention to close the mine down.

“The agreement,” says the executive’s statement, “provides that failing the settlement of any dispute work shall continue in all respects as prior to the dispute arising. This means the retention of conditions and wages as prior to the dispute. The manager informed the men this morning that conditions dictated by him would operate despite the provisions of the agreement. The men refused to accept this, and returned home. “The union is prepared to refer the dispute to the Coal Mine Council, which is the proper authority for the adjustment of disputes in the mining industry. “The union believes that the Dobson mine as it stands at the moment is one of the best underground mining propositions in New Zealand, and that the actions of the management are designed to provoke trouble in order to give' the Mines Department excuse close the mine and make Dobson another ghost town as happened to StocK- | ton, and is about to happen at ReeftonIf and when this happens the department will be in a position to hand tne Dobson mine to some of its enterprises’ friends as it did in we Buller district when it granted a contract to private interests in the StocKton area. , .. “The union would be pleased it we Minister of Mines could conduct » public inquiry into the m?- agemeni oi the Dobson State mine. “The present disputes have been r ferred to the national Crook, with a request that he arl l a x£ e a conference with the officials or « Federation of Labour in order to 0 , tain justice for the miners at Dobsonthe executive's statement concludes.