BAD COAL

Grey River Argus, 16 April 1929, Page 5

BAD COAL

SUPPLIED TO MINERS Public Grievance at Denniston (Special to Argus.) WESTPORT, April 15. The Denniston Colliery has been idle to-day as the result of there being a grievance in the locality created by the inferior quality of coal which the Westport Coal Company has been supplying to the miners. There has indeed been for a period of two months discussion at progress regarding the poor class of coal supplied by tht. Company to ithte ‘workers, it hieing held that the defective nature of the fuel in question was such that meals cannot be properly cooked with it. The upsh-ot was the calling of a public meeting on Sunday under the auspices of the Miners’ Union, to which the women folk were invited, as well aa l he business people of Denniston. There were fully four hundred people present at the meeting.

There was a lengthy and animated discussion, in which the ladies took part, and they were emphatic in their statements that it was impossible for them to cook food with the poor class of coal being supplied. A s the outcome of the meeting the Union sent a delegation to approach the representative of the Company, whom they met to-day. The delegation offered as a compromise to take a mixture, comprising in pajt Jthe coal at present being supplied and part from another section of the mine, where there is good coal produced. The Company, however, expressed itself as bding unable to altefj the quality of the supply. The Union thereupon decided to communicate with the general manager, Mr Flavell, of Dunedin, putting before him the case of the workers. The Union is now awaiting a reply from him, upon receipt of which, another general meeting will, if necessary. be called. It is therefore uncertain yet whether the mine will be working to-morrow.

A Settlement BETTER COAL FORTHCOMING WESTPORT, April 15. News was received to-night that the difference existing at Denniston as to the quality of the cool supplied to the workers has been Satisfactorily settled and the management of the Westport. Coal Coy. this evening intimated to the Miners’ Union that an improved quality of fuel would now be supplied, to the miners. The Denniston mine will therefore resume operations in the morning.