THE HUNTLY MINERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14359, 2 May 1910, Page 6

THE HUNTLY MINERS.

OPERATION OF NEW AWARD. ' "DISCUSSION OF GRIEVANCES. \ ; [FROM PVR own CORRESPONDENT.] , HtrxTLT, Saturday. .Since the receipt of the text of the new award of the Arbitration Court considerable dissatisfaction has prevailed among ; tho mining population, the clauses relating to "double shifting" and "deficient places" being prominent. After a week's trial the Miners'; Union called, a mass meeting, which was held at, the boatshed, and was attended by some 300 men, this morning, to discuss matters generally. ■ ': Mr. J. Fulton, president of the union, stated that r the meeting had been called in order that I the men should have an early opportunity of discussing the clauses of the award ; which.: affected them, as workers detrimentally. As those present were aware one shift left the top" at 7.30 a.m., the second following an hour later. Formerly it had boon the custom for all hands to knock off for crib at 12 o'clock, but now that the hours of labour had been altered, the miners in the first shift claimed the right to have their crib at: 11.50, and those in the second shift at 12-30. The manager contended that the employees had no such rights, that 12 o'clock must' suit all hands; Mr. Fulton refused to discuss the -matter, but agreed to appoint a deputation to meet him, the result being that a compromise was "suggested by the management to the effect that crib time should start at 11.45. i Several of the men stated'- that while ! eating their crib between 11.30 and 12 they had been ordered back to the face. Though they complied they thought the order* somewhat arbitrary, and did \ not think the management held such powers. Mr. Fulton : pointed out that such procedure was in accordance with the letter of the law, and ■ another speaker stated that for .disobeying, a similar order at Blackball Mr. P. H. Hickey was fined £1 17s, with 7s costs. A third thought " that while ;the manager did not object to •; anyone taking a,snack- at any hour, he. objected to a lunch hour extending from 11.30 to 12.30. The general opinion /was [ that it was not humane to expect a man , who had his breakfast about six a.m. to » work continuously for" ; si* hours without, » something to' eat, while a fourth repiidii ated all idea of accepting a compromise. 1 In summing up, the chairman said the , question was jwhether the matter was I worth a fight? With Hickey's case as a . precedent he thought it would be as well Jto drop'the matter, especially as a more 1 vital question had to be faced. It was accordingly resolved unanimously that ' both shifts would take their cribs together j at 12 o'clock, * the concession being unde- j sirable. - • ~ -. ; ; -.- ",- ■ - The most vital question before them, explained the chairman, was that wjuchj • referred to deficient' places, in*" which a miner ; could not make:'the.. minimum | wage. Those wljo ~ were , working in i such places should .direct' the: atten- i tion of ,_the*' management to th«>«» and if the two could not mut-wlly agree, then, within 48 two men could „ examine the nl~e and give an honest " the men working , such nude's to have 6hift - wages during adjudication. At the last check inspection 27 places had been marked, as deficient, and they could ' not have improved by this time. Those! working such; places had not been made up, -and;it; was for the union to see'that :' justice was done. V They. would strictly follow the award, and would see that the other side was as punctilious. ' The following motion was can-led unani- ;■ mously : "That all' men who had not made • jilio'i minim tini;. wage through, working in -a deficient place hand' in their pay:notes to i the committee, ,; who jbe ;;. requested ', to * take. immediate action." Another complaint ventilated, that the time allowed for travelling between the pit bottom and the face was insufficient, was referred to a deputation to meet the 'manager on the subject, while the question of ' an increase in the wages of the : check ;:weighman,' whose day's work was ,»lengthened by half an hour, was relegated to the committee. <:' ,>/ ;!. , * "