SLACKNESS OF TRADE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 10 August 1928, Page 4

SLACKNESS OF TRADE.

MINE STAFF REDUCED. UNEMPLOYMENT ON THE WEST COAST. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, Aug. 9, The Blackball Coal Company directors this afternoon gave an intimation to the Miners’ Union that 171 of the employee's at the mine, the single men, would, he dispensed with after the expiry of a fortnight’s notice as from tomorrow.

Thereafter the company intends to limit operations at the mine to one shift per day. stating the reasons to be slackness of trade whereby overhead charges prevent' tlie mine from paying. Recently considerable numbers of miners were dispensed with by the Roa Company, whose property has since been let, contrary to the' wishes of the unionist members, to a tribute party, which is fewer in number than the original complement.

These developments mean a serious accentuation of the unemployment difficulty in the district. The Blackball Miners’ Union on Sunday meets to consider the situation, but so far no proposals hare been, put forward to cope with it. and there is no indication of a.nv modification of the company’s decision.