STOCKTON MINE.

Grey River Argus, 31 March 1926, Page 3

STOCKTON MINE.

THE DISPUUTE. An Official Statement. The, Secretary of the .Ngaknwau Coal Miners' Union. Mr 3. S Russcl. gives the following official details °1 Hie Stockton Mine dispute;— Some months ago, when the es ■ port-Stockten Coal Company starte. to convey their ooal from the mine to Ngaknwau by water, a large number of workers wire discharged. Many of the discharged men left the district, and found work elsewhere, ''.'J* 1 ® ’ few of them are 'Still in the is Since these men were . discharge strangers have come, to the district, and on more than a few Manager engaged these strangers, while some of the mon who weri discharged were still unemployed. As a rase in point : One man. newly arrived from the. Old Country, had pisi been in Stockton two or three daw Xn he was told to start work mi tin coal. The Union took exception t this lino of: procedure bv the Manager on the particularly mornings whor [hose men were told to start-, wit the result that they had to s+anr down. This position from time to time, but had Inthert been always got over. About twe months ago. there were approximate lv about, fifteen men who receive, their notices going about idle, and today there, are seven cr eight, the ha lance of these men being employed On Tuesday 23rd. inst., too men who were not. working with this comoanr when the dismissal notices were band Cd o”t were turned out to start wor on the coal, and this Iwm- one o< the nmltoro which cavsed ibe r T” rage, I will deal with P fust Mhcr Hie men discolored that the tw< s+rarmers ww being employed, am Hmt the other men wh" d'Stn-ss ed "-orc not., the- decided to put Hi position before the Manner before HlO'- wont to work. When the Mar"/'er was approached b" re f "scd tn disensq Hie position, saving th—- was "" tn In so nt present. + ll,r information wn« given to the mPn - Hiev agreed that if the Manner insisted on these two men going t» „. nr i c ttc-. wniitt be no work to’ Hwm ito'd th" position would bo c , " n ed ira The Manager rofn-'l to dis errs Hie matter fnr'her. w“> the re,.,,11, |,h n «-ns i'-"iwn id'". On Wednesday, March 24. there wns a GENERAL meeting OU THE UNION. On this date, the general meeting wa s held to discuss tile position lurther and the decisions already moved A were confirmed, the president and Secretary be-int instructed to inlorm tile Manager of tins decision This was done, and the only proposition put forward by the Mmuiger was to allow Goddard and Morgan, the two men, io be engaged u> stain, down for n week to allow of a dispules r-ommittee to sit on the matter'the men are not agreeable to *• Disputes Committee, ns they consider it is a clear case, of prelerence being shown to those new hands. On Thursday 2.5 th., there was received a letter from the Managei confirming the. offer as above. Following- this, a further letter was received from Mr. Armstrong (Mins Manager) which 1 give herewith: — Westport Stockton Coal Coy., N'gakawau, 25th. March.— Mr. J, S. Russel, Secretary Miners' Union, Sfgakawau:—Dear Sir, in the accompanying letter I have explained the position of the. industry, and I would urge you to bring it before your members at the earliest possible moment, together with the oiler J made you yesterday.”

Following is a copy of the letter referred to:—Dear Sir;—At the present juncture. I would like to bring, before you notice, likewise your com mittee and members generally, the very unfortunate predicament in which the industry is placed. It requires no elaboration from me, noi ne.xl I enlarge on the unfortunate history of the colliery and the continual stoppages that have taken place from i-trne to time. The lessons of trade depression and importations .of coal have evidently had no effeci on your members, and I would inform you that the present stoppage is tin most serious one that has yet developed. The possibilities of the moment are stupendous, so far as the future of our trade is concerned. We have, reluctantly been compelled to- cancel two urgent orders to the railways this week, and I am quite safe in say ing that since September wg, have been if not the largest one of the largest New Zealand suppliers of coal jo the railways; and it would appear that the greatest argument that has beert used against using New Zealand coal ort the railways will receive decided help by your refusal to accept the terms than I offered you yesterday. On the other hand, we have contracts that can only be held by regular time being worked, and I assure you that the bunker trade that we have, and ar e building up, stands ir. direct jeopardy, if the present position is permitted to continue. Two- of the greatest factors in our coal tradeare being weighed in the balance, viz., New Zealand coal to the railways and the bunker trade, whereb? we may dispose of our soft coals an smalls; and 1 earnestly request you i weight the matters. carefully. These points are very- serious. The continu-

al arrival of ships to the port, is one that is most gratifying to the district generally, and when one sees the undercurrent that would leave no stone unturned to keep them away- from the port, it behoves all of u s in this industry to work for this Trade and prosperity for all. Finally, I would be pleased to meet your committee, at any time, with further suggestions you may have—for bear in mind that we. have to get around the table in the end—with the hope that the- present unfortunate impasse shall speedily terminate. Yours faithfully (signedl J. E. Armstrong, Manager. P.S, —For information of yOur mem ber« I should point out that the argument. against New Zealand coal or, the railways is the uncertain sup. plies.” The Union executive met and instructed me to forward a reply to this letter, which was as follows: — Ngaknwau Miners’ Industrial Union of Workers, 25tb. of March 1926. Ur, Armstrong, Mine Manager, Deni Sir.—l nm instructed bv my execn tive to reply to yours of even date. On ) the first part of your letter which I

juotc lierewiLh: “lb requires lio elubo ration from me, nor need 1 enlarge on .he unfortunate history of the colliery and unfortunate stoppages which iave taken place from time to time. The lessons of trade depression and ni port at ion 9 of coll l have evidently aad nob effect on. you r members, and I would inform you the present stoppage is the most serious one which ha yet developed. M Unfortunately, Sir uiy members know; only TOO well the effect which trade depression has upon tneir lives and the welfare of their families and in our own mine, where there has been a continual recurrence of disputes and the stoppage of work as a sequence, it has had a very great effect on my members, but not in the way which you seemingly imply in your letter it should have. When my members learned that the Company had been successful in quoting for the. supply of coal for the railways; we thought it would ensure better work, and. therefore, carry with it a few of the benefits which steady employment sometimes ensures, but, unfortunately, this has not to any appreciable extent been felt, if you fake into consideration the <*scharge of a large number of men by the Company as a result of the Company improving their method of coal transit, and the number of petty disputes we have Lad this last nine months. It is indeed gratifying to know ihat the (company is- building up a bunker trade, and that the effect on the district generally is good. We would indeed be sorry to see the conditions which now show signs of betterment for us, as workers, in the near future, reverting io the unsteady times, as worked in the past,' but the promise of these fair prospects does not blind us to the tact that we have a duty to our fellow-workers who were dismissed some time ago. We agree with you in saying that an undercurrent is at work to prevent these >hipsi from coming to Westport to load coal, and wc also think there is an undercurrent at work to prevent some of the men who were dismissed, from getting work at the Stockton. Mine, and that preference is being shown other men when they are being employed instead of those dismissed. I wish, over again, to state that we do not wish to force these men upon you, ielying on a sense of fairness on the manager’s part to absorb them when opportunities to do so occur. We agree that it will be necessary to get ogether, sooner or later, and my executive will be pleased to meet you with a view to having this dispute cleared up. If there is anything furher you wish to place before the LTnion, I will immediately call my exe •utive together to receive same, or arrange with them to meet you. Yours faithfully (signed) J. S. Russell Secretary.

On Friday last the Union Executive, together with Members of the District Council, Messrs Whittle, Hey wood Davidson, Muir and McArthur, met.the Manager and a underviewer and after a two hours’ conference, 5t was agreed that six miners be employed, and all of the men who received their dismissal notices, this decision to bo placed before a meeting of the Union on Saturday. The I’nion Secretary was instructed, on .he request of the Manager, to get into touch with three of the men who are now working in DennistonOn Saturday last, the general meeting of the Union approved of: the arrangement and the President, -»nd Secretary were instructed to acquaint <*he Manager of the fact, and that it was expected everything would b< right for work o.n Monday. This, was carried out, and the Manager thereupon intimated that he had asked a boy seventeen years of age to act as Bath Attendant. To make it brief at present, he was informed that the Union wouldn't stand for this, A BOMBSHELL. The manager then quietly intimated that all other arrangements cxmie to regarding the starting of men were cancelled, and we were just as> we were. This matter had no bearing on /he other question, and on the Friday, when asked to draw up something in writing, regarding the starting of the men, he said: “Surely you dan accept a man's word to carry out what he says?” He, has broken his word, and it was found necessary to call an urgent special meeting of the Union on Sunday to deal with this matter. Members of the District Council who were in attendance at the conference on Friday attending the Sunday meeting.

SUNDAY MEETING. At the special meeting of the Stockton Miners held on Sunday, the position created by the manager m refusing to. live up to> his agreement for th e starting of the men was considered. It was unanimously resolved as follows: “That this Union have no. further dealings with the Manager in trying to effect a settlement, and that the Directors of the Company be informed cf this decision with a view to their taking an active interest in the settlement- of the dispute.” The Manager after agreeing on Friday to start thirteen men at work on Monday, stated to the President and Secretary' of The Union on Saturday that he would -not carry out his part of the agreement, because the Union would not agree to a ooy being employed as Bath Attendant. There ig at present a man engaged on this job at 15 s 9d per day. The manager wanted the boy to work on the, job at a weekly wage of ,£3 s>This question had no bearing on the dispute, and the Manager raised it after the other settlement had been agreed upon.