STILL UNSETTLED

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 133, 7 June 1919, Page 9

STILL UNSETTLED

! STRIKE AT PUKEMIRO COAL j ' MINE. . . -. . CBT TBIEGRAPB.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, 6th June. The strike at the Pukemiro coal mine, about nine miles from Huntly, .is still unsettled. The secretary of the company, Mr. White, stated to-day that the men were still absent from work, and had notified the company that they would not resume until the matter in dispute had been settled. Regarding the action of the men in ceasing work, the- secretary Etated that had the miners adopted the proper course of referring the dispute to the Local Disputes Committee, the constituting of. which was agreed to by the Federation of Labour, the mine would still bo working and the dispute could have been settled by the coinmitteo. The position now was that the miners had committed a breach of the award, and it remained to be seen what developments would take place.

The stoppage of, operations at the mine, the output of waich amounted to between 400 and SOO tons daily, is likely to prove disastrous to a number of industries. At present the total output of the various mines in the Auckland district goes straight into consumption, and, no reserve stocks are available. Pukenuro coal is largely ustd iv Auckland iaotories, and only a few which are carrying on essential industries can be supplied from other sources. Even this, it is stated, can only be done by the restriction of supplies to other in;1 dustries. Mr. White stated that as a result of the strike a number of city factories would almost, immediately have to cease operations, and a number of freezing, works and dairy factories in the North Island would be similarly affected. Even with no diminution of supplies these concerns were working without any reserves supplies of coal, and the sudden stoppage meant a serious. dislocation of business. , ■