COAL SUPPLY.

Evening Star, Issue 25226, 13 July 1944, Page 7

COAL SUPPLY.

TO THE EDITOIt. Sir.—Mr D. It. Wilson says that because of loss of production at Kaitangata and also Southland mines, where several stop-work meetings have been held recently, the Dunedin market is short of supplies. The only stop-work meetings held at Kaitangata were to ■consider (1) working on Anniversary Day, which is an agreement holiday, and we did not substitute another day for it; (2) working on Saturdays and Good Friday.. This was a.'so agreed to. Both these meetings occupied about 10 (minutes, and the miners here at Kaitangata produced an all-time record last year. Further, there has not been one industrial dispute at Kaitangata for the last 23 years that we conkl not overcome without resorting to strike action. 1 wonder if this is the same Mr D. It. Wilson who threatened to out off all "coal to the public of Dunedin in April last unless the demand for a str'b&idy of 3s a ton was paid when the change from large >bags (1871 b) to a smaller bag of 1401/b was made ? The loss in production at Kaitangata is due entirely to mining conditions, and it is true that the output has gone down iby at least 100 to 150 tons daily. This is due to several causes. Mine fires have been responsible for the blocking of areas where the output was very high. These places are finished now, and the men are now employed on development work, and when this takes the miner's output drops by at least an average of six tons per man per shift. Twelve months ago there were 48 men out of 59 employed on pillar extraction; now there are only 26 miners on pillar extraction. Hence the reduction in output, which will remain down for some considerable time. The miners at Kaitangata have a record second to none in New Zealand, and will always give of their best.— I am, etc., ' F. Crook (President Otago Miners' Union). Juiy 12.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—ln to-night's ' Star ' you publish a report of an address delivered by Mr Stronach Paterson, on which you also comment in your sub-leader. While 1 don't agree with all the miners' actions 1 think they are entitled to fair play and should be given honour where honour is due. Mr Paterson is reported as saying in no case do the total production hours a week of the miners exceed 40, even taking into account the work now being done on alternate Saturdays. In your sub-leader you say there were no half-hearted statements. That may be so, but I say quite definitely that the one quoted above is untrue. Misleading statements by responsible persons only tend to irritate the mine workers. The miners in the Green Island district. I think without exception, work six days a week of 47 hours producing coal. These mines have worked every award »holiday during the last two years, the only exceptions being Anzac Day and nine days at Christmas. In regard to Fernhill mine, where I am employed as manager, I can truthfully say that the employees have made a real war effort, and have done and are still doing their utmost.to produce the much-needed coal. In the year ending March 31, 1944, three miners increased their output 2,100 tons, an average increase of. 700 tons a man. This increase took place in pillar-working, but anyone who knows anything about coal mining will agree it was a magnificent effort. Can Mr Paterson's statement do anything else but irritate these men ? No doubt the coal position is serious at the moment and everything possible should be done' to ease -it. I can assure both coal merchants and consumers that we realise their difficult position, but the lignite mines are doing their small part to keep the home fires burning and the wheels of industry turning. I have no comment to make on the remainder of Mr Paterson's statement. I have no doubt it will give room for lively debate, but I would sugges that a little appreciation at times is just as easily given as criticism, and sometimes works wonders.—l am, etc. July 12. M. Hewitson.