COAL "WAR" SEQUEL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21467, 15 April 1933, Page 10

COAL "WAR" SEQUEL

POSITION IN WAIKATO NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS MINES CLOSED FOR HOLIDAYS [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] HUNTLY. Friday Work was continued at all tho mines in tho Huntly district yesterday, the men . ceasing in tho afternoon until Tuesday morning. Whether tho men will work in the Glen Afton, Mac Donald, Taupiri and Henown mines on Tuesday, as a result of the posting of a notice in the Renown mine announcing a deduction from wages during tho "price war," is not yet known, but at a meeting of miners on Wednesday a resolution to ceaso work was carried by an overwhelming majority. The four mines are included in one agreement with the Miners' Union. The notice posted at the Renown mine stated that, owing to the drastic cut in coal prices, which were well below tho cost of production, the company found it necessary to work under a new agreement from next Tuesday. 1 The chairman of directors visited the mine on Monday and explained to the miners the arrangements which involved ! deferment of portion of their wages. | Tho men state that there is a joint ; agreement, made last January, and any I departure from it would be a breach | of tho undertaking. | It was stated it was the intention ! of the men to ask the Government to ; fix a fair selling price for coal, and if this was done it was understood the notice from the Renown collieries would be withdrawn immediately. NO ACTION BY ASSOCIATION STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT The president of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association, Mr. W. D. Holgate, stated that no action had been taken by the association in tho direction of varying the existing agreement between the owners and employees, which was to remain in force from February, 1033, to January 31, 1934. " I was not aware of the object of the meeting of miners," said Mr. Holgate. " Naturally the men will expect the agreement to be carried out in its entirety. I know of no actual 'coal war.' Prior to two years ago there was an amicable understanding among owners as to tho price of coal sold at the mines, this agreement being in force for some years. About two years ago one company broke away, and reduced the price of coal, which was followed by a general cutting of prices. This has been more or less continued until the present time, when prices have been reduced below the cost of production." It was further stated on Thursday on behalf of Renown Collieries, Ltd., that the company's proposals did not amount to a wage reduction but to a postponement of 20 per cent of tho miners' wages when thev worked more than five days in a fortnight. This deduction would be credited to each man during the period of the " price war.".