80 Dobson Miners Offered Jobs

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31775, 4 September 1968, Page 1

80 Dobson Miners Offered Jobs

“The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, September 3. Jobs for up to 80 of the men who will be displaced when the Dobson mine closes on September 30 have been offered by companies in Wellington and by the Railways Department, the Minister of Labour and Minister of Mines (Mr Shand) announced today.

The Gear Meat Company, Ltd, of Wellington, has offered jobs for up to 50. Vibrapac Masonry (Wellington), Ltd, which suggested a course in concrete block laying for miners, has offered to employ up to 12.

About 18 miners today began a four-week course arranged by the Education Department in *heory and practical work.

Inquiries made by the Labour Department showed that other firms were interested in recruiting men who completed the -block-laying course, said Mr Shand. The Railways Department had offered 20 jobs on the West Coast, said Mr Shand. The Greymouth representative of the Mines Department (Mr J. Lundon) and the stationmaster at Greymouth would attempt to fit suitable men to the jobs. Names Given “When it was decided to cease production at Dobson, the Mines Department supplied the Labour Department with the names of men seeking work in districts other than the West Coast,” said Mr Shand.

“The Greymouth office of the Labour Department sent particulars of each miner to the head office in Wellington which then asked every district office to draw the attention of employers to the availability of the men. “A man seeking distant employment will be paid fares and travelling expenses for himself and his dependants and the costs of shifting his furniture to the new locality. A few men have already left the West Coast under these arrangements,” said Mr Shand. “Towards the end of this week an officer of the Labour Department will make a joint approach with Mr R. F. Beadle, secretary of the Dobson Miners’ Union, to get men to enrol for employment. The men will be told of the measures approved to help them get work which is not available on the West Coast.” Mr Shand said that 140 men were still employed at the Dobson mine and after September 30 there would still be some work to be done in withdrawing all serviceable equipment.

How long this work would take would depend on the number of men who wished to stay on and how many could be employed. Allowance Figures When he told representatives of the Dobson men the date the mine would close, Mr Shand also announced there would be special retiring allowances. The Minister said today

that State coal miners were already covered by a retiring allowance which was not normally payable until the miner was 60 and had completed 10 years service. At this stage the allowance was $2BO.

“The special additional allowances will start at $25 for a miner with less than one year’s service an increase by $25 for each year up to a maximum of $775 at 30 years service. “The highest normal retiring allowance is $BOO, but with the special allowance added, it will be $1575. A miner with only 10 years service will now receive nearly double the normal retiring allowance and so on proportionately,” Mr Shand said.