THE WAIHI MINERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18324, 14 February 1923, Page 11

THE WAIHI MINERS.

PAY AND CONDITIONS.

REPLY BY THE OWNERS. Recently a deputation representing the Waihi miners waited upon the Prime Minister and Minister for Mines, in Welling- : ton, and made certain representations in regard to their pay and conditions of i work. Mr. T. •' O. Bishop, secretary of the Mine-owners' Association, has now j made a reply to the statements put orj ward on behalf of the men. I "Of course," said Mr. Bishop, "it is j only natural that the members!, of the ' deputation should put the best case forward for their side, but I cannot underi stand why they should make such misreI presentations. For instance, the burdeu of their complaint was that ' the-Arbitra-tion Court had set a standard of wages ; which was below the rate it had previ- ' ously decided was the . lowest possible point at which the average family in New , Zealand could exist (£3 16s Id).' J So far from this being correct,"; con- ; tinued Mr. Bishop, -" the minimum wage for adult surface-workers at the mines is j 13s 8d per day, and for adult underground workers; 13s lid per day. A full I week's wages is paid in each case for 44 I hours' work, and the weekly minimum j rates are. therefore, £4 2a and £4 3s 6d ] respectively. Moreover, prior to the date of the new • award the basic rates J for Waihi workers were : higher than ; the Court's basic rates for other worki ers. They are still higher, and more than that, they are stabilised until NoI vember 1, 1923, instead of being subject,; in common with the rates in all other industries, to further! reduction by general order of the Court next May Questioned as to the inference that the whole of the ;miners at Waihi were paid the minimum wacre, Mr. Bishop said:/- " As a matter of fact, very few underground men are paid the minimum rate. As much of the work as possible is done by contract, and the workers earn considerably over £1 a day " Asked about the rents in Waihi, Mr Bishop said that the Court bad stated they were the lowest in New Zealand.

WEEK'S WORK AND PAYMENT. A STATEMENT CORRECTED. [BY TELEGRAPH'. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The following letter has been forwarded by Mr. Bishop, secretary of the Gold I Mine Owners' Association, to Mr. P. ' O'Rourke, secretary of the New Zealand I Coal, Gold, Shale and Quarry and Tunnel Workers* Federation:"On Friday last II received advice that the men employed ,at the Waihi/ mines were paid six full days for 44 hours' work. Acting on this information, I published a statement in the press to that effect. I now find that my advice was incorrect, . and that the miners are paid for only five and a-half days per week. I sincerely regret that this error should have occurred, and trust that you will accept my apology for the same I am publishing this letter in the press, and also am sending a copy to the Prime Minister." .'.'.■■.