STATE MINERS OUT

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1920, Page 5

STATE MINERS OUT

CHEAPER FARES GRANTED

TIMETABLE DRAWN UR,

SUITABLE TO THE MEN

SATISFACTORY OUTLOOK

What is tantamount to a strike is in operation at the State Mine at pres ent. The men hare for some considerable time past been extremely dissatisfied with the railway facilities, or rather, lack of them, and the fares chargeable for weekly tickets to their work. Matters culminated in a meeting being held on Thursday last when the miners expressed their determination to secure better facilities and whilst regretting the step, decided to hold a stop-work meeting yesterday. This was duly carried out and a deputation appointed to meet the management with a view to securing its support. The men also decided that no work should be done yesterday and that another stop-work meeting should be hold to-day in order to receive the deputation’s report and to decide what steps should be taken to enforce their demands.

At yesterday’s conference the Executive of the Miners’ Union : Messrs P. CJ. Webb (President), H. Duggan (Secretary), R. Spencer, J. Patterson, G. Newton (Executive members) met the representatives of the Mines Department, Messrs Kilnbell (Under-Sccretary for Mines), W. Parsonage (Manager of the State Mines), C. Strongman (Manager of Binns Mine), and 0. Davies (Manager of Liverpool Mine). The grievances of the miners, relative to the high fares and the unsuitable timetable, were fully discussed. It was subsequently stated, that owing to the absence of authoritative representatives of the Railway Department the conference could not arrive at a final settlement. The Alines department representatives made it clear that they could not interfere in any way with the working of the Railway Department but they would take the earliest opportunity of placing the miners’ requests before the Railway Department for consideration. A Greymouth Evening Star reporter ascertained at a late hour this afternoon that a time-table which it is stated is suitable to both the men and the Railway authorities was drawn up at a conference last evening and if it is approve! by the Rail- 1 way Department in Wellington, as no doubt will be, work will, in all probability be resumed in a day ! or so.

The matter of endeavouring to obtain cheaper weekly tickets was an>o urged on behalf of the miners and a telegram was sent to the Railway Department last evening on the matter. A reply was received to-day that the concession desired by the men, namely for tickets at suburban rates would be 'granted. This means that instead of paying 4/6 for the weekly ticket from Greymouth, 3/6 from Runanga and 2,6 from Dunollie the men will have the advantage of the suburban ticket under which a worker may travel to and from work a distance up to ten miles for two shillings.