MINING LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 103, 24 January 1908, Page 8

MINING LABOUR.

. NO DANGER OF.A DEARTH. OVERFLOW FROM AUSTRALIA. (BY TELEttRAI'JI—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.). ' • Auckland, January 23. The" Star's "■ AYailii correspondent, referring to labour matters at the mines, says: — " It was stated by the newspapers last. weeJ; that considerable difficulty was being experienced by I .mining'companies operating in tho back-blocks in getting miners to carry on the works in progress. Having beard that there had also been a shortage of good practical miners iii seme of the large mines, L made inquiries as to the accuracy or otherwise oi tins statements, i i'ound, however, so far as 'tho parent mine here is concerned, that there is 110 diliienlty jiist now—'though .tbero iias been somcr—in keeping all the laces manned. Just before the Christmas holidays, and immediately afterwards, there was a dearth of miners, but. (luring the past we.ok or two applicants lor work have been increasing, and this morning several new contracts wero let. " In the course of conversation with Mr. R. • Williams, tho Waihi Company's mine ■ superintendent, I.,.ascertained that, owing to i tho very unsatisfactory state of affairs at s Broken'"Hill, iii Australia—where the fall in : metals has reduced operations—a largo num- ■ her of miners contemplated migrating to Now i Zealand, and he had received scores of letters from miners over there applying for work at Wailii. Just now, however, tho demand for the good practical miner has been mot; in fact, many local applications lor work are at present being refused. ."Mr! F. U. Brown, superintendent, of the Grand Junction mine, was also interviewed, and lie. said there was 110 doubt that the shortago .of good practical miners before Christmas had greatly interfered with the development work and with stoping operations. Asked as" to the probable cause of tho scarcity, Mr. Brown replied that all tho Targe mines of tho .district, upon which the labour - ebiclly depends,' have been gradually increasing their output, more men being required in consequence. This was also coupled with the fact that at this season of tho year many miners liko a change to outdoor work, such as farming, etc., while it was understood that a good many who wero formerly employed in the mines are now to be found 011 some of the tramway extension works in Auckland. All these causes are, he maintained, responsible in a large measure for the present shortage, luit lie'was of opinion that as the winter weather approached the supply of miners would improve. Moreover, judging by tbe number of unemployed in Australia, the, abnormal .conditions obtaining in New Zealand would gradually adjust themselves. " With a view to ascertaining whether tho Waihi Miners' f'nion had a rccord of any unemployed, I. called oil Mr. ,1. Seaulon, secretary of tho I'liiou, and lie informed me that there was no scarcity of good miners now, if wanted. In fact, tile supply was greater than the demand, and at present tbero were quite a number of lirst-class men out of work. 'Tbero is no scarcity of labour,' said -Mr. Scanlon, 'and any company wanting good men can 30011 have tho gaps niua •>>