STATE COALMINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19156, 23 October 1925, Page 10

STATE COALMINES.

THE OUTPUT THREATENED. WORKING WEEK OF FIVE DAYS. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] WELLINGTON; Thursday. The output of coal at the State coal mines is likely to be detrimentally affected by a decision not in accordance with operative industrial agreements which has been arrived at by the miners within the past few days. "A reliable authority today stated that for many years the miners of Australia and New Zealand had from time to time been clamouring for the right to work five days a week, or ten days a fortnight, but all previous demands had been rejected bv the coal owners. The West Coast miners' council recently took the matter into its own hands and decided that the mines should not work more than ten days a fortnight or five

days a week. The State coalminers within the past few clays intimated their intention of following suit, notwithstanding . the fact that in respect to both cases the awards and industrial agreements provide for working 11 days a fortnight. "The decision means that the award and agreement are being ignored by the miners. It might be pointed out," added the informant, "that all the mines are principally served bv the ports of Greymouth and Westport, both harbours being seriously affected at times by weather, and consequently great difficulty is experienced in handling the coal. The effect of the decision to work only ten days a fortnight will be to seriously diminish the output. Because of the uncertainty of working the bar at each port it may so happen that the mines might be idle for two days in the week and steamers might be lying out in the offing as they often are. With moderation of weather a steamer is berthed, say on a Friday, and in order 'to give the boat a full load it is necessary to work on Saturday. 'llia result, therefore, will be that the steamer will not be able to get away so promptly."■