COLLIERY IDLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 9, 11 January 1945, Page 6

COLLIERY IDLE

DISTRICT WITHOUT DOCTOR

O.C. ■ AUCKLAND, This Day. No work was done at the Wilton Colliery, Glen Massey, yesterday, because the district is without a doctor. When Dr. D. D. Martin, of Ngaruawahia, was injured in a motor accident on December 20 and was removed to the Waikato Hospital, the Health Department arranged for Dr. P. C. Service to act as medical officer for the town for a month. Dr. Service was transferred at short notice a fortnight ago to Denniston, leaving Ngaruawahia and Glen Massey again without a medical practitioner. The Northern Miners' Union immediately made representations to the Minister of Mines (Mr. Webb) asking that a doctor be appointed to Ngaruawahia. As no doctor had arrived up to Tuesday, the miners employed at the Wilton colliery decided not to work until one was appointed. Eighty of the men live at Ngaruawahia and they stayed at home yesterday. There are about 200 men employed at the mine, and the average output of the colliery is 1800 tons a week. Mr. R. Coulter, M.P., telegraphed the Minister of Health (Mr. • Nprdmeyer) yesterday, asking him to make the immediate appointment of a doctor to Ngaruawahia.

In reply to Mr. Coulter, Mr. Nordmeyer advised that Dr. Segal, of Wellington, would commence practice at Ngaruawahia tomorrow. In a message to the Miners' Union the Minister urged the men to return to work.

The Denniston miners refused to work on December 1 owing to the failure of the Health Department to supply a doctor to replace' Dr. S. Hass, whose resignation as medical officer at Dennjston took effect that day. The Miners' Union had previously informed the Buller Hospital Board that no coal would be produced until a doctor was appointed to replace Dr. Hass. A Press Association message from Westport on December 6 stated that it was reported in Denniston that an Auckland doctor who had accepted the position of medical officer at Denniston had been directed back to his position in Auckland. On December 7 Dr. B. W. Nixon arrived at Denniston and the miners resumed work next day.