MINERS AND "GO-SLOW."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18299, 16 January 1923, Page 8

MINERS AND "GO-SLOW."

-. *•-•-- —— «o»- •— >— ■ REPORT FROM WAIHI FIELD. ATTITUDE OF If ANAGEMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CO-RESPONDENT.] ' WAIHI. Monday. It is unofficially reported that of some 700 workers who attended Saturday's mass meeting to consider the reduction made by the Arbitration Court in the rates of wage men, not more than 10 or 12 voted against; the\infroduclion of the "go-slow" policy, as a protest against the " cut," and that of these some did so because they favoured a strike. While the introduction of the " goslow" policy has been almost the" sole topic of discussion sirite Saturday, Mr. A. Parker, secretary of the and Mr. P. O'Rourke, secretary of the Now Zealand Miners' Federation,. .when spoken to on the subject to-day, stated that they had no knowledge of "the adop- ] tion by the men of such a course, and beyond this they were not, prepared. to discuss the matter. : . ■■■■■~ Mr. E. G. Banks, superintendent of .' the Waihi Goldmining Company, said he could not credit the report that the ; men proposed to adop\t' "go-slow " tac- [ tics. He added: "It is quite certain that if the company's operations are hampered .by the men adopting such a policy it will result in the closing down of the mine. I '. It is a fact that on last year's \ operations there was no margin of profit . when the whole of the expenditure, in?. . eluding development work at the mine, , is taken into account. If naturally fol- . lows that the only hope, of carrying .on ' with a prospect of success is a year of '■ steady and uninterrupted work." '..•>.• Referring to the wages reduction, Mr. Banks stated that of a total of over 600 contractors and wage men/ in the employ of the company, only five per cent, would I receive the minimum rate, of 13s 8d a shift -. ' ; ' '