NEWS FROM MINING CAMPS

Grey River Argus, 10 January 1928, Page 3

NEWS FROM MINING CAMPS

Reports from all flip coal-mininj: townships are to th * effect that then still exists a general slackness in tip eoal trade; there is no diniunition i»: the number of job-seekers, and there is a general tendency on the parrot the bosses to become more or r?s> cheeky. There are two disputes existing on tho Vest ('oast of some importune o ; one b ‘ing on a question of tin- Safety First Principle, at the State Mines, and the other being in regard Io travelling time at Millerton. The Millerton Miners’ Union claim and rightly so. that they are entitled to the same conditions as apply to the Denniston Workers, as both the Millerton and Ifenniston Collieries are owned ami operated by tin l same company. (The West port C oal Company.) Negotiations are at present proceeding with the Minister for Mines in respect to the trouble at the State Mines, and with the Coal-Owners’ Association in respect to the Millerton travelling tiilie dispute. A dispute on which is focussed tho attention of all miners, is the one existing at Taw a Flat, where slavedriving methods and victimisation as well as wage reductions have been introduced by the contractors. It seems to be a case where the contract price is far too low, and an effort is being made to make good at the expense of the wage-workers. TJje workers on this job are’members of the N.Z. Workers’ Union, and are mostly ex-miners. Several abortive Conferences have already been held in connection with the dispute and it is quite on the cards that it may develop into a really serious affair before it is all over. Miners’Unions all over New Zealand have been notified that remits for the Alliance of Labour (.’(inference should be in tin* hands of tin 1 National Council Secretary by January 17th