MINERS’ HARDSHIPS.

Grey River Argus, 16 October 1922, Page 8

MINERS’ HARDSHIPS.

IDLENESS AND SMALL WAGES. [ IS COURT AFRAID TO REVIEW AWARD? WELLINGTON, October 13. Considerable dissatisfaction is felt among the miners in the Dominion re■garding the recent reduction in wages I ordered by the Arbitration Court. A (reporter was informed that the unions at Pukeniiro in the Waikato, ami I Nightcaps in Otago, have asked permission of the Court to be allowed to !state a case showing why the rediu-.-I tion should uot be carried int o efi’i t, I but that the Court has replied st.it'ng that no such application can ’*'o hc«J i. I The matter has now been taken up by unions at lluntly, Pukemiio. «’ ware and Te Akatca, in the Waikato, which have applied as a district for the right to state a case against any further reduction in wages. The action of the unions in this matter w ta result of representations from the executive of the New Zealand -1 :. <- Federation that the Court ohouid be asked to have its decision reviewed. No definite date has yet been li.vedfor holding the annual conference; of the Miners ; Federation, but the malic: may be expedited in the event of tin Arbitration Court refusing the application of the Waikato unions to have me wages question discussed. Mr P. O’Rourke, secretary < f Um Miners’ Federation, states that in comparison ■with the rates ruhng under the national agreement the mine’-* are now worse oft’ in the mailer o* wages by an average of S< p'’r day 01 £3 per week. This is inclusive of Ihe latest reduction ordered by Ine CourtWhat with the large amount 01 daported coal in the country and tinslack time being worked at a major ity of the mines, the men are having a very bad time. Me is at a loss i.? understand how they are maKi'ig living. At Kaitangata Air (j’lbmidu says 110 men arc out of employimni ?xt Taratu, near .Kaitangata. wit Id h? exception of about four men who are working in special places, the miners have only worked two days per week in the last eight months. Un the West (’ua.-t (-onditions w-ere not quite so bad, but they were bad enougi. The Denniston mine was kept working pretty constantly on account of Admiralty orders having to be met, I oi the Ngakawau miners have only worked five months in the last twelve. J cr six weeks of this period a strike was in progress. The district awa r d of th: Arbitration Court provided that miveis should work eleven shifts per fortnight, but since the award was made about a year ago, only one such fui period was worked at the Slate inin< at Runanga. The next best period was ten shifts per fortnight.