Another Southland Mine Closes Down

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7063, 24 January 1933, Page 6

Another Southland Mine Closes Down

ONLY ONE NOW WORKING Per Press Association INVERCARGILL, Last Night. The latest development in the Oliai coal strike is that to the list of mines t which have now been idle since August 17 last, namely, Linton, Karakei, Mossbank and Black Diamond, is now added the name of Black Lion. This mine which closed down on Friday as a result of the failure of the owner and the men to come to a settlement, did pot reopen this morning. The miners worked last week under notice to see if some agreement cornu be reached, but the conforenco with the owner (Mr. Peter McSkimming) on Wednesday proved a fruitless one. He is stated to liavo refused to engage men under tho old conditions and the miners lodged an objection to the "hire and fire” clause under the provisions of which the mine manager is given tho undisputed right to engage or dismiss men at his own discretion. This clause has been the cause of the trouble at other mines, tho contention of tho men being that it should be struck out and that provision should be made for sharing tho work.. It is also understood that the owner of the Black Lion mine proposed a reduction of (id per ton in tho amount of coal hewn, thus reducing the rate from 5s 4d to 4s 10d for solid working and from 4s lOd to 4s 4d for pillar working. Tho negotiations, however, did not proceed as far as this. The closing down of the Black Lion leaves only Birclrvood working. There is no "hire and fire" clause in its agreement, which will continue in existence until January, 1934, although a reduction of 2d per ton was recently accepted by the miners.