THE MANGAHAO STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18016, 15 February 1922, Page 8

THE MANGAHAO STRIKE.

MEN MEET THE MINISTER.

MR. COATES FAVOURS CONTRACT. [BY. telegraph.—own correspondent.J WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The tunnellera engaged at the Mangahao hydroelectric works went on stnko recently after refusing to accept reduced payments under the retrenchment scheme. Some of them interviewed the Minister for Public Works to-day, and stated that thev had decided to accept the reduction provided the department agreed to reduce the price of explosives from £6 to £4 per case and to halve the charge for sharpening steels. The Hon. J. G. Coates told the dep nation later in the day that ho could not accept the arrangement. He said the old price for No. 1 tunnel was £3 2s a foot, and the reduced price under tho retrenchment scheme was £2 18s a foot. A reduction of one-third in the charge for explosives would cost tho department 4s 4d a foot, and a reduction of one-half it. the charge for sharpening steels would cost Is 6d a foot. This meant that the department would actually be paying £3 3s lOd a foot, or more than tho present price. He could not consent to make an arrangement of that kind. The Min-stnr suggested that the member.- of the deputation mould talk over the matter with the engineers of the department, and see if any basis of agreement could be reach on. He indicated that his own preference was for a contract. Speaking subsequently, Mr. Coates said be thought a contract offered the best solution of the difficulty that had arisen. If a group of the workers would take a contract for a tunnel, the contractor; supplying the labour and the department supplying the plant, there would bo a reasonable assurance of the uninterrupted! completion of the work. I