THE DENNISTON DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 89, 8 January 1908, Page 9

THE DENNISTON DISPUTE.

FROM THE MEN'S POINT OP VIEW. . AN INTERESTING COMPARISON. ; ; Mr. Foster, tho representative of the Den'niston Miners' Union, is- visiting Wei-' liugton in' connection with tho "bank to bank" dispute.' Speaking to a Domejion reporter yesterday, Oio put tho matter, from tho miners' point of*.view, "Eight hours from bank to bank is the law," snicl Mr. Foster, "and the men wish to work according to the law, but tho. Company wishes to have a stated time fixed for walking from tho bank to tho working face arid back again. Tho men refuse to concede this. At present tho mon aro working ,on the bank to . bank basis—their own terms— arid tho output is just as largo as it was before. N As the Arbitration Court has. do-, clared that this is a breach of award, wo aro, of course, expecting to hoar moro, of. it, and the matter may end in the Appeal Court. I am here on. legal business connected with tho matter, but I hopo an amicable settlement will be arrived at. Whatever the final legal decision is, I am confident .the men will abide by it." :To illustrate . tho difference between tho conditions desired by the miners; (and now in operation) and those offered by the Company, ■ Mr. . Foster showed the reporter a table, \vhjell sot out tho allowances of walk-ing-in timo u'nder the Company's terms, as compared with the actual 'time takon,'as ■ tested by'himself, the mine manager, and a third man.- The tablo thus indicatod what the men would gain or lose if thoy agreed to the Company's terms instead of maintaining the' eight' hours'- bank-to-bank system. It showed as follows:— \ I Coalbrookdale Mine, Dip Section —Men's time, 30 minutes; Company's ■ time, 40 minutes; gain to the men, 10 minutes.'Glasgow Section—Men's time, 28 minutes; Company's time; 40 minutes; gain 12 minutes; Bradley's Section—Men's time,- 42 minutes; Company's time, 40 minutes; loss, 2 minutes.; Peacock's Section—Men's time, 38 minutes; Company's time, 40 minutes; gain. 2 minutes. Munse's Sobtion—Men's time,.• 12 minutes; Company's time, 40 minutes; gain, ,34 minutes. Total• men's time,, 150 minutes: total Company's time, 200 minutes; total gain to'men, 50 miiiiites. "' • Iron Bridge.-Sharp's Section—Men's'time, '23_ minutes ; Company's time. 40 minutes';, guin, 12 minutes. Kmgor's Section—Meii's time, 32 minutes:' .Company's timo, 40" minutes.; gain, 8-minutes'. No:: 7 Men's timo, 50 minutes; Company's time,'4o minutes; loss, 10 minutes. Dip Section— Mon's time, 50 minutes; Comnany's time,.4o minutes,- loss. 10 minutes. No. 4 SectionMen's time, 60 minutes; Comnany's time, 40 minutes; loss, 20 No. 1 Section— Men's time, 48 minutes; Company's time, 40 minutes ; lpss,- 8 minutes. New Dip SectionMen's timo, 36 minutes: Comnany's time, '40 nunufces: gain. 4 minutes. Kiwi Section— Mens timo, 70 minutes,* Company's time, 40 minutes; loss-30 minutes.- Wooden BridgeSection—Men's.tinie/14 minutes; Company's timo, 40 minutes; p;ain, 26 minutes. Total men s •time, 388 minutes; total Company's time, 360 minutes; total loss to men; minutes. ) •• 'Mr. _Fostcr said that, under tho terms desired by the Company, some of the men would be in tho mine longer =than eight hours, as under the "bank to bank" systemnow in operation. Ho added, in answer to a question, that there was no need to worry about the men dawdling, on tho way. fromthe hank to the face, as they were all on pieco work.