Strongman Miners Refuse To Return To Work

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31579, 17 January 1968, Page 1

Strongman Miners Refuse To Return To Work

(From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, January 16. Coalminers at the Strongman mine have refused to return to work because, they say, a huge accumulation of firedamp has been cleared too quickly and because the mine manager (Mr D. F. Brown) is on holiday and the mine is being controlled by an underviewer with a second-class mine manager’s ticket.

It was a year ago next Friday that 19 men were killed in the Strongman mine because an accumulation of gas was not detected before a shot was fired. At the time Mr Brown was also on holiday.

The Runanga State Miners’ Union wants a person holding a first-class ticket similar to that held by Mr Brown to manage the mine in his absence. In the light of the inquiry into last year’s disaster, the union considers this is a reasonable request, it says in a statement. The District Manager of Mines (Mr J. W. Lundon) said that the mine was perfectly satisfactory now, and there was no reason why work should not be resumed, though a gas accumulation which was not cleared on Monday morning had prevented production being resumed for the New Year.

The president of the union (Mr H. Pattinson), in a statement today, said an accumulation of about 88,000 cubic feet of firedamp was reported in the east heading of the mine; last Friday, and an investigation by the workmen’s inspector at 1.10 a.m. on Monday showed that the accumulation had increased to about 180,000 cubic feet. Steps were taken by the deputy and his shiftman to restore the ventilation, and this resulted in an improvement, but about 98,000 cubic feet of gas remained at 5 a.m. the same day. “In spite of the report made last Friday,” the union’s statement goes on, “no action was taken by the management to rectify the position until 1.10 a.m. on Monday.

“The union strongly disapproves of the practice of locking up carbon monoxide and methane detectors, which made it impossible to carry out a full inspection of the fire stoppings in the section. “It is the opinion of the union that .these instruments should be readily available to responsible persons. “Regarding the dispersal of the accumuluation of gas which remained at 5 a m. on Monday, Steps were taken for its removal. This was completed at approximately 12.30 p.m. “The union agrees that the dispersafr- of this gas was desirable, but considers it. bad mining practice to move this huge body of gas in so short a period. “In the absence of the regular manager, the mine is at present managed by an underviewer holding a second-class mine manager’s ticket. “In the light of the inquiry into the Strongman Mine disaster of January 19 last year, the union considers it is a reasonable request for a manager with a first-class ticket

to take over the running of the mine in the absence of the regular manager.” After a mass meeting of miners, Mr Pattinson said tonight that the Under-Secre-tary of Mines (Mr I. Dick) would arrive in Greymouth tomorrow to discusa the men’s grievance. Mr Pattinson added that the meeting had been adjourned until tomorrow night and the miners would hot work tomorrow. The national secretary of the United Mine Workers of New Zealand (Mr J. White) had also been involved in the negotiations. Mr Pattinson said the union had offered to return to work this morning if a mine manager with a firstclass ticket was available, but this offer had been declined by the district management. Mr Dick would meet the union’s executive tomorrow afternoon and a report will be made to the miners at their resumed meeting. Mr Dick said in Wellington tonight that a full inquiry was being made into the miners’ refusal to return to work. “The miners objected when, on their return to work after the holiday period, during which the mine was closed, it was found there had been a considerable accumulation of gas,” Mr Dick said. “The miners say that because of this condition they do not like the appointment of a temporary manager who does not have a ' first-class manager’s certificate. “There is a difference of opinion about this.” Mr Dick said the manager was acting in a proper manner when he appointed the deputy before going on leave. The same procedure had been carried out previously and was always subject to the approval of the Inspector of Coalmines, he added.