THE OTIRA TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 238, 1 July 1908, Page 7

THE OTIRA TROUBLE.

EMPLOYERS AND MEN. INCREASE IN WAGES REFUSED. 'AN appeal to the prime; minister. - (or TEiEatiArn. —press association.} > Chrlstchurcti, June 30. ' A meeting between tho contractors and th# men engaged on the' Midland tunnel works whs held in tho big cement shed at Otira yesterday' afternoon; Mr. Viekerman presiding. Som. 80 men were present, including a;ffcw of tho public, and a great amount of ifttorest was manifested in the proceedings. Mr. -Murdoch M'Lean spoke on bohalf of John M'Lean . and Soil; and Mr. T. Malloy (President ■ of; tho -Reefton Miners' Union) acted as spokesman for tho workers. |* :

. MR. M'LEAN'S STATEMENT. • Mr. M'Lean said that lie might tell them at tho outset that ho (on behalf of his firm) would not increase wages at present.' The men-employed outside woro now getting tho same rate per day as the mon inside, but there, was :this. ,featur6 about it, that while the., men inside. got full 'timo the ■ outeido worker did not averago abovo four or five • days a week. Ho was now giving 10s. a day in the tunnel, but would probably increase that rate -slightly 'if.;matters warranted, it. When the machines went in his firm had neverlowered wages, but had of ten. increasod thfem as profits would allow. Ho now pro-' posed to : give his men mofd wagos, than tho . Reeftori award stipulated; If .'the men were determine to strike, well and good; he could not help it.; On any of his, works he. never countenanced in any shape or form bullying or abuse of meni .' If a man was incompetent, or shirked 'his 1 work ho was discharged, and that ended;tho matter. If men had complaints; to make at any timo in any matter Tyjiittevorj- lie would at''all -times bo prepared to' jisten. to them, and would honestly try to remedy/anything that , might require remedying. They kriev/ the statements' he,had made regarding this difficulty, , Of course, it was .tho . object of the Union .to ;advertise the trouble,' and if; possii>l6 to mignify in every way tho so-called hardships of the- workers engaged in and around th® Otira tunnel, but they could all rest Assured that, striko or no strike, tho tunnel would go through whether it was driven by the men now engaged on tho work or by men who would be subse-1 qnently put on. Personally, lie would like to see those now working hero remain, as was tho ,c»se 'on many- other of their "extensivo : contracts whoro men remained from the start to the end of the job. It had been published allover 'tho Dominion that ho was engaging men in other parts and paying half fares'to Otira, and otheri '■ tomniyrot." Thero was iiot the semblance of truth in it;. . '

r THE MEN'S POINT OF VIEW. •Mr. llalloy said that in tho first place lie claimed tho right to bo in Otira on behalf of morabors of the -Reefton .Miners' ,Umon, who were.'now engaged in . fconriection with the Ofcifa tunnel. \H[hen theso nien'camo: they naturally'; formed s a branch of the Reefton Union, and others joined, and thus brought the, present Union into existence. Tho contractors ; could disabuse their minds regarding -the Reefton Awards! This Union could register " on its. own," and go for its own Bcale'-of wages without regard to the Reefton' Airard at. all. ' ■ •vMr. .M'LeSn: " I'm not preparcd-ito conBulb c with otheri mcnfithaui oui-!. If own employees.":-/,';: - . > '»Ir.. Malloy said, that only the employees of the contractor; should vote regarding the trouble :>-.being settled by a ; Conciliation : Board. -.Ho (Mr.; Malloy) . was quite willing tp-act on, their behalf,-apaH from-being president', of. tho 'Reefton -Uliion. Continuing, he sald ho : was sure Mr. :M'Lean was the wongi sort of man to: allow' strife to bo stir-. ted up ;by his bosses.; In proof of his-feel-ings 'no read the following telegram that ho nftd dispitched to Mr. Guinness, Speaker of tho House of Representatives : — ; , "My:'final interview - with-, Mr. M'L'can takes place: at Otira on Sunday.: If no settlement, then ail .cease: work on Tues- ■ ;Tho Union is . preparedto give ' and take.■ Would Sir. Joseph l'ntercedo .with Mr., M'Leai} to do the sameP The .Union's policy is Conciliation -without strikes." •: Mr. Guinness replied as: follows — •• "Have interviewed.Sir Joseph Ward, , who thinks that as M'Leans are Govern- ' , ment contractors it; would not be right for, him to -intercede with. unless they requested him to do' bo, as it might -..<-]ead-'to:complications ibetween tho Gov- :. erriment, and its contractors.-,' Ho. hopes that both sides Till trv to bo reasun- , nblo, arid; amicably settle dispute." • Mr. M'Lean: Is it talking conciliation to threaten a strike, »rid to: ask,£lso,ooo more thah was estimated for labour? TShave ■come, hero,,to meet- tho men employed by JohnVM'Lean and Sou on thb; Arthurs Pass tunnels .'-rr'; ■„

"I WILL NOT BE TAKEN BY THE THROAT." Mr. M'Lean: "I /havo told the moil what X mean, and I will not bo taken by-the throat by any one. , If thr- men mean fight ilien I will fight too, and fight to tho end." ~>Mr. Malloy: "The men could go out tolaorrow .without tho fear of .a' fine, but we do , not :wapt; a . strike. Wo want an amicftblo settlement." l : 'Mr. M'Lean: Onco thoro is' an award 1 am : tied;- but Aot so tho men. . • / .Mr. Malloy:-I say again wo do not want ' B strike!' >... Jir. McLean: Why should wo bo singled ' but.on-the coast with a demand for moro to'iigos? ■ i Mr. Malloyisaid that ovory man who worked a; rock borer •. practically took his life' into his hands, as, he could, not last more than three or four years at tlio gams before miners' complaint set in and claimed kim as'. its own. ■ .■ - ,• Mr.< M'Lean: You are talking a good deal Of rot, for you ,do not know at all. the conditions a man. will be asked to work undor in thn lOtira tunnel.- With good ventilation itho; work i'bnot nearly so unhealthy as.-.you make, out', and' wo intend to''makeprqvisipns for ventilating the: tunnel in a proper manner. ' .' • -Mr. Malloy: If you will not meet us. Mr. M'Lean, wo will take a stand, and every, union in the Dominion will bo duly advised iis to the oxact state of affairs obtaining in Otira. I say again lam prepared to discuss matters with you if you caro: to do so. . THE RATE OF WAGES. : Mr. M'Lean: Can you say that I am . paying less wages here than in Roefton and othor places?. Mr.'Malloy: Put your, proposals in writing. Mr. M'Lean:;My word is my bond, and fcho uion who .havo. worked years for mo know it;] but all tho same I will put them in Wilting if, you desire it, and when you can (jatisfy me that L am paying, less wages than aro paid in other places I will talk with you, but not till you do so. Mr. Malloy : I am no firebrand. I havo eome hero to pndeavouij to arrive at 'an amicable arrangement between master and man. In-conclusion, are you prepared, Mr. M'Lean, to meet mo in conciliation? Mr. M'Lean: No, I am not. ' ,/'Mr. Malloy: Well, Mr. M'Lean, I.havo almost eono down on my kneo to you, and if a'strike takes places it is your fault, not mine. ... Tho meeting terminated abruptly. Tho, union,-held-a meeting later'on in thb OTening, but what transpired is not known, beyond' the fact that the ■ men assembled carried, with acclamation a resolution thanking Mr. Malloy : for his efforts on their behalf in endeavouring to bring about a settlement by conciliation. •