INDEPENDENCE OF THE MINERS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 127, 1 June 1920, Page 5

INDEPENDENCE OF THE MINERS.

500 TONS OF COAL LOST,

AUCKLAND, June 1. The miners employed by the Taupiri Coal Company and who work at Rotowaru mine had to take a day off yesterday, the reason given by the head office being that the men refused to wait for the train that conveys themj daily to and from the mine, and which was half "an hour, late that morning. i This train leave's Huntly every morning at seven o'clock with men for the Rotowaru and Pukemiro mines. This morning, owing to heavy fog 'at Huntly, considerable difficulty was experienced in getting up steam qii the engine, and the train was riot ready to leave until about ten minutes to eight. The result was that the Rotowaru men decided not to wait for the belated Engine and returned to their homes. About 60 of the Pukemiro miners also refused to wait for the train, and went home rather than start work half an hour late.

The action of the Rotowaru miners means the loss of 300 tons of coal, this being the average output of the mine, while the loss of coal from the Pukemiro mine for the day wiil be in the vbinity of 200 tons, making a total loss in coal of approximately 500 tons on the output of the two mines for the day.