WEST COAST MINES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 39, 14 January 1944, Page 4

WEST COAST MINES

THREE IDLE YESTERDAY

GREYMOUTH, Jan. 13

Though following the intervention of Mr O'Brien (Minister of Transport and acting-Minister of Mines) and also Mr McLagan (Minister of National Service), who addressed meetings of Grey miners last evening, coal production in the Grey district should to-day have returned to normal, the position was in fact very little improved. Blackball, which never at any ■ stage has joined the strikers, was working, and also Dobson, which was not affected by the fire in the machine shoo last night, giving a total production of 400 tens, but the Liverpool.. Strongman, and Wallsend nits, which together produce 1500 tons, were idle. The original dispute has been shelved, at least temporarily, by the agreement of the men to resume work on the understanding that the Government will receive a deputation from the unions, though it is learned that the decision .to do so was reached by only the narrowest majority at a meeting at Runanga attended by about 300 men. The miners went to the pits this morning but in three cases returned. At Liverpool and Strongman they had not received their pay tickets on arrival and in accordance with a resolution on , the books returned homo. The usual practice is for these to be handed to the men before entering the mine on the morning immediately before pay day, but the uncertainty that the mines would he resuming" this morning was primarily responsible for the tickets beina; unavailable. Though only a little more than half the men were without tickets, all decided to return home.

The position at Wallscnd was different, an accumulation of gas in the return airway being the reason for the men's decision not to work. The pit was open, as working places were not affected, but the miners decided to return home.

It is hoped that the mine? will work to-morrow, but this is uncertain, as Saturday ie normally an idle day, and it ia possible that the men will elect not to work for only one day. As a result of the stoppages, no coal was railed to-day to Westport from the Grey district for shipment, but it is expected that a small tonnage will be sent to-morrow. Meanwhile, the Bullcr district has it* own troubles, with the Millerton dispute still unsettled and the West port-Cascade co-operative mine in the Bullcr Gorge ile because of scarcity of water. Tho mine, which is situated some miles from the main road and railway, is dependent on a substantial water supply to convey the coal through seven miles of fluming, and Cascade Creek, which supplies tho water, is now dry. Production ceases till substantial rain falls. As a result vessels leaving Westport for the north ara much underloaded. Cascade coal is the best, household and steam variety, and thus the stoppage is serious.