MINE TROUBLES

Evening Star, Issue 21318, 24 January 1933, Page 1

MINE TROUBLES

ANOTHER SOUTHLAND PME OLDSES [Per United Press Association.] INVERCARGILL, January 23. The latest development in the Ohai coal strike is that to the list of mines which have been idle since August 17 last, namely, Linton, Wairaki, Mossbank, and Black Diamond, is now added the Black Lion mine. This mine, which was closed down on Friday, as a result of the failure of the owner and the men to come to a settlement, did not reopen this morning. The minors worked last week under notice to see whether some agreement could be reached, but a conference with the owner (Mr P. M'Skimming, M.P.) on Wednesday proved a fruitless one. Ho is stated to have refused to engage the men under the old conditions, and the miners lodged an objection to the “ hire and fire ” clause, under the provisions of which the mine manager is given the undisputed right to engage or dismiss men at his own discretion. This clause has been the cause of the trouble at other mines, the contention of the men being that it should bo struck out and that provision should bo made for sharing the work. It is also understood that the owner of tho Black Lion mine proposed a reduction of 6d per ton in the amount of coal hewn, this reducing tho rate from 5s 4(1 to 4s lOd for solid working and from 4s lOd to 4s 4d for pillar working. Tho negotiations, however, did not proceed as far as this. The closing clown of the Black Lion mine leaves only tho Birehwood mine working. There is no “ hire and fire ” clause in its agreement, which will continue in existence until January 1934, although a reduction of 2d per ton was recently accepted by the miners.