STRIKE AT HIKURANGI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20958, 22 August 1931, Page 10

STRIKE AT HIKURANGI.

SITUATION UNCHANGED. COMPLAINTS OF THE MEN. ■ FEW SHILLINGS INVOLVED. QUESTION OF FLOOD DANCER. [bit telegraph.—own correspondent. I AY LIANG ARE]:, Frirlay. A visit to Hikurangi to-day reveals that the position regarding the strike at Wileons (N.Z.) Portland Cement colliery is unchanged as far as the men are concerned. Union officials maintain that the next move should come from the company. The strikers contend that the three men affected earned respectively 3s 6d, 3s lid and 8s less for the fortnight than the amount provided by the award as a minimum wage. This they say was due to factors outside the men's control, namely, hard coal, a load roof, and* generally difficult conditions. They consider the company should make up the amount to the minimum wago provided for in the award. The work of keeping the boilers going to enable the pumps to be lifted is being performed by officials of the company, who are working strenuously. It is understood the company is removing those pumps controlling the water in the lower workings, the flooding of which is not a vital matter. The pumps controlling the main working will be kept going by the company's officials as long as possible. As an indication of the amount of water to be dealt with 60,000 gallons an hour is pumped out under ordinary conditions. The company contends that the miners should have referred the dispute to the local disputes committee before taking their present action. Regarding the safety of the Hikurangi coalmine, which adjoins the Cement Company's colliery, all the workings of the Hikurangi miue are below those of the colliery, and the flooding of the latter would cause grave concern to the management of the Hikurangi mine. There is approximately three chains of 6trata between the workings of the respective mines. A fault exists through which water would be forced from Wilson's mine in the event of it becoming flooded. To what extent this would develop is uncertain, but there is no doubt it would render tho position serious. It would also increase the cost of pumping and consequently the cost of production. The present position is very serious for the business community of Hikurangi. A meeting of the miners' executive was held at five o'clock to-day. No announcement as to the result was made. HIGH MINING COSTS. TROUBLES OF THE COMPANY. MINES AND JOBS IN JEOPARDY. "For some months we have been concerned about the high cost of mining coal at Wilson's colliery, and have felt that we did not have the full co-operation of the men," said Mr. Stanley Reid, general manager of Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement, Limited, yesterday, in discussing the strike at Hikurangi. "The operations at the mine last year resulted in a heavy loss, and it is a fact that the cement plant at Portland could buy coal, both in the district and from other sources, at prices below the cost of supplies from Wilson's colliery. The mine manager was informed that he must take steps to get the coal costs down, and was urged to place the position clearly before the men. In this respect the men have been fully apprised of the facts. "Some response was made, but not to the extent thought possible or hoped for. The manager even suggested to the men that they should take over the mine and work it themselves, Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement, Limited, agreeing to take all their requirements for Portland. This suggestion, however, was rejected. An Irritating Feature. "One of the most irritating features in operating the mine is the number of men who require their pay to be made up to the minimum rate each pay day, although the mine manager is satisfied that .some of the men whose pay had to be made up could easily have earned the minimum and more in the particular places they were working. Where a man, obviously and through no fault of his own, could not earn the minimum, then the company had no hesitation in making it up. "During the week the mine manager informed the union that several men who, in his opinion, could earn the minimum but were not doing so, would not have their pay made np. The union immediately replied hy calling a strike. This attitude took the company completely by surprise, as, of course, the men have a constitutional method under their agreement of seeking redress and could have requested the calling together of a disputes committee. Inspector to Visit Scene. "However, the mine manager was informed that, unless he undertook to have the pay of all men who did not earn it made up to the minimum, not- only would the miners go out, but the safety men would be called out as well. The latter action is something they have not done before, and apparently they are quite willing to jeopardise not only the company's property and their own jobs, but also the adjacent mine and its workers. "From the company's point of view there have been no developments to-day, except that the officials of the company have been at le to remove from the lower level the pumps and gear, which otherwise would be lost, as once the pumping ceases the low levels must flood. Without the safety men the company could not continue pumping, and, in addition, it is necessary to how coal to keep the boilers fired." Mr. Reid added that he understood Mr. W. Barclay, Government mining inspector, was proceeding to Hikurangi.