THE POSITION AT WAIHI.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1158, 20 June 1911, Page 4

THE POSITION AT WAIHI.

$ WHAT TUB COM PA NIKS AIII3 WlLlrf ING TO CONOKDK. (By TelccraDli-l'rcjs AESoclalfon.l Waihi, June 19. The conference between the, represents* lives of the mining companies and representatives of Hie New Zealand ledenition of Labour concluded this niter* 110011. Tlio following sets out what, alter a protracted conference with the Miners' Union, the mining companies arc willing to concede ami agree to oil their part' as the basis of a new working agreement. It will be teen that in many cases tho minimum wage to be paid has been raised, whilo the companies ishowed that they often pay more than the minimum, important concessions have been mado regarding contracts, particularly in respect to non-forfeiture of some deposits and percentages, mid an agreement to reduco the percentage held back in stopmg contracts to 10 per cent instead of 25 per cent. Contractors' men are to bo paid direct by the companies according to lists to be handed in by the contractors. In the case of grievances with tlio men the union officials are to bo referred to by the companies, and an effort made to settlo by mutual agreement. Prcterenco is to be granted to unionists exactly oil terms of the old award. Tho company also includes a request that tho union rule regarding funerals shall ba rescinded, and made to read that mines and mills shall not. bo stopped 24 horn's for any funeral, but that any men wishing to attend a funeral shall 1m permitted to do so without dislocating all work, thereby involving an absurd loss to the workers and tlio companies without doing tho slightest good to anyone else. Double time is to be paid for all work oil Christmas ])av and Union Day, and time and a half for work on Good Friday.

To-night a mass meeting of tlio Minors' Union is being hold to consider this agreement and a report of the Federation's representatives.