Coalowners’ Reply to Union President

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 125, 30 May 1944, Page 5

Coalowners’ Reply to Union President

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON May *6. Replying to the Miners’ Union president (Mr. Prendeville), the coalmine owners state to-day that there was no juggling of figures in their statement on decreased coal production. The statement has been borne out by the returns from two further mines, one of which showed in addition a 4 per cent, loss of time through stopwork meetings, knocking off early and absence without reason, and the other 31 per cent. The association had asked for returns from all its members, but on the date of publication only five had been received. One showed an increased output compared with last year ntod four showed decreases. The net result of the figures was a drop in production of 21,464 tons and the two further returns make the total drop for seven mines 30,004 tons. The owners stated that the statements are published not with the object of provocation, as Mr. Prendeville suggests, but because the public and the miners themselves are entitled to know the facts. The owners give full credit to those miners who are working hard, but there is no credit to those who knock off early every day, who absent themselves without good reason and who throughout the war period have imposed a restriction of output.

£19,000 in Cash Stolen A thief stole £19,000 in cash from an unlocked attache case under a man s bed on Saturday night (says a Sydney cable). The money belonged to Mr. A. Bassett, aged 80, retired investor and property owfler, who had kept it under his bed for 12 months. He intended to distribute it among his seven eons and daughters. The thief is believed to have entered the house while the family were having their evening meaU An advertisement appears in this issue announcing a free public lecture to be delivered under the auspices of tho N.Z. Humic Compost Club in the Municipal Hall (Opera House) on Thursday next at 7.50 p.m. Mr. Watkin, whose ability to present his subject very attractively, is well-known, has a wide knowledge of matters pertaining to sojl fertility the result of intensive study srl practica l ■ ''nerienee, and a very interesting and iu4v.4iia.Uve address Is assured.