BLACKBALL STATE MINE.

Grey River Argus, 9 October 1941, Page 7

BLACKBALL STATE MINE.

[To The Editor.] Sirl would like a small pace in your’paper to state a few facts as regards how miners, truckers, shiftmen and a few of the surface hands who are employed in and about the state mine' are faring for work. When the Government took over the mine, some three months ago, Mr. Webb called the miners together and outlined his scheme and asked for full co-operation of everyone concerned. The men did their part with the result that we are now getting 2 days a fortnight, except for a few who' are employed outside. i would like to know if the Minister could live on 2 days a fortnight, while he at the same time is wanting everybody to do their best for the war effort, and all he can. do is give us 2 days work a fortnight and for proof of this Sir, you can see anv of the miner’s pay dockers. kast week the Under Secretary came down from Wellington and advised the Union to put , off 14 men,, a'nd, after a lot of discussion the 14 men were put off, including married men as well as single. The Undersecretary stated that this would lef the mine work full time. The mine did not work one day last week, and up to the present we nave had no work this week, and I am led to believe there is no relief work to be 1 had either, so you see the position the men are in here. Mr. Webb asked the men not to let him down, but it seems to me the boot is on the other foot. Mr. Webb also said this would be a happy hour for all concerned, but the miners up here could tell him different, if he were to pay us a visit, at the present time. In these times when guaranteed prices and' Social Security are handed out by the Government as necessities of life, surely a' miner is entitled to more than two days a fortnight. If the Minister cannot seil the coal, he could prevent the men from starving by giving them some sustenance. I am also led to be ■ lieve that the objecton to Blackball coal is that it contains a high percentage of sulphur. The Strongman ■coal contains practically the same i percentage of sulphur, and yet a market is found for it. Previous to the last war thousands of tons of slack was stored at the Blackball mine and later sold at a profit. If this were done now, with the orders they get the Government would find out they would not have to put men off, and instead of a few getting full-time and the rest getting 2 days in a fortnight, we would all get full time and everybody would be far happier than they are to-day. I am etc., A DISGUSTED MINER.