OHAI COAL STRIKE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11841, 24 January 1933, Page 5

OHAI COAL STRIKE

f ANOTHER MINE'CLOSES

(Press Association.' INVERCARGILL; Jan. 23.

The'latest'development, in the Ohai coal' strike is that*, to the list of mines which have now been idle since August 17, namely Linton, Warakai, Alossbank, and Black .Diamond. is now • added ' the name of ihe Black Lion. This mine, which closed down on Friday as-a. result of the failure of the owner and men to come to a settlement did not re-open this mo/ n. mg.:.The miners worked last week under notice; to see if some agreement could bo reached, but a conference with ■ tbe owner (Mr Peter McSkiininfng)'on Wednesday, proved, a fruitless one. He;- : 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 be struck out and that provision should bo made for sharing the workIt is also understood that the owner of the Black Lion mine proposed '•> reduction of-6d per ton in the amount of coal hewn, this reducing the fata from 5s 4d to 4s lOd for-.solid working -and from 4s lOd to 4g 4d for working. Negotiations, howeven-, did hot proceed as' far as this. The closing down of the Black Lion mine leaves only Birchwood working. There is no ‘‘hire and fire” clause in it E agreement, which-will continue in existence until. January, 1934, al though reduction of 2d per ton was recently accepted by the miners.