IDLE COAL MINES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 10

IDLE COAL MINES

MINISTER INTERVENES _ •V INQUIRY INTO DISPUTE OFFICIAL TO INVESTIGATE STATE ACTION RESENTED The stoppage of operations at the coal mines of the Renown, Taupiri and Glen Afton Companies, where no work has been done since last week, is to be investigated by the Under-Secre-tary of Mines, Mr. A. H. Kimbell, who is expected to arrive in Auckland on Friday morning. The visit of the Under-Secretary is the result of intervention by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. C. E. Macmillan. The three companies concerned received the following telegram from tho Minister yesterday With the object of ascertaining the facts regarding the existing troubles at the Waikato collieries, the Under-Secretary has been instructed by me to meet representatives of the companies concerned at Auckland. I shall be glad therefore if you are able to be present at the chief post office at 10.30 a.m. next Friday."

The message has also been received by the directors of the Pukemiro and Wilton collieries, although work is still proceeding at their mines. Advice was received in Huntly yesterday that Mr. Kimbell was to leave Wellington last evening, and that he would confer with representatives of the miners at Huntly this morning. There is no likelihood of resumption of work in the mines until after the result of the meeting between Mr. Kimbell and the owners is known in Huntly. Protest by Owners' President A protest against State intervention in the dispute was made yesterday by Mr. W. D. Holgate, president of the New Zealand Coal Aline Owners' Association. "The association iij quite capable of looking after its own affairs," he said. "I intend to ascertain which company has been responsible for seeking State intervention, and when I do I will make a further statement on the position." Mr. Holgate said that the Renown Company's proposal to postpone payment of 20 per cent of the men's wages during the "coal war'' was not supported by the association. The company was subject to an agreement made between the association and the Miners' District Council last February with a term of one year. The action had been taken by Renown Collieries without reference to the association, which would not have agreed to such a proposal. "I am now in communication with the association's secretary, Mr. T. O. Bishop, to whom the Miners' District Council has, I understand, submitted the matter," concluded Mr. Holgate. "He would not reply without referring tho matter to me." Position of Renown Company

A reply to Mr. Holgate's statement was made yesterday afternoon by Air. N. R. Chapman, on behalf of Renown Collieries, who said that Mr. Holgate had stated that the Renown Company was subject to the agreement between the association and the district council.

"The Renown Company, with the other collieries, agreed to the rates then suggested, taking into consideration the prices then ruling for the various grades of coal," said Mr. Chapman. "As from April 3, however, two of the signatories to the agreement have made drastic cuts in the selling prices of all grades of coal, which Mr. Holgate has also been reported to have stated to be well below the cost of production. It is obvious that the conditions under which mine wages were agreed to are so drastically altered that a reduction in mining costs is imperative and justified." A meeting of miners Avas held at Huntly last evening, when the situation was discussed briefly. The meeting was private, and it was announced subsequently that there had not been any alteration in the position.