GOLD MINERS' WAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21803, 18 May 1934, Page 10

GOLD MINERS' WAGES

THE WAIIII DISPUTE NEGOTIATIONS RESUMED POSITION AT GOLDEN DAWN [ilY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WAIHI, Thursday Further negotiations between the Ohinenniri Mines and Batteries Employees' Union and tho Ohinemuri branch of the Amalgamated Engineers' Union, the applicants, and tho Waihi and Golden Dawn Gold Mining Companies, in regard to increased wages, were commenced before a conciliation council this afternoon. Tho conciliation commissioner, Mr. P. Hally, presided. Tho third applicant to the original demand l'or restoration, in full of tho 10 per cent cut in wages made in Juno, 1931, tho Ohinemuri branch of tho Enginedrivers and Winders' Union, accepted the Waihi Gold Mining Company's offer of a flat-rate incroaso of Is 3d a shift which was made at tho April sitting of tlio council, and a few days later that union signed an agreement.

In the case of tho other two unions, the workers at general meetings rejected the terms offered and instructed their representatives to meet the mine owners again with a demand for restoration of the cut in full; also stipulating that the men employed by the Golden Dawn Company should ho included in tho agreement and be not excepted as had been suggested. Tho Main Difficulty When negotiations wore resumed today tho case of the miners was taken first. The assessors wore: —For the union: Messrs. W. Bice, H. Dwyer, W. Lynch and W. Dye, with Mr. J. Pobcrts, of Wellington, as advocate. For the mine owners: Messrs. R. G. MiUigan, J. Farrell, H. W. Hopkins, J. L. Gihnour and J. 11. G. Banks.

Mr. Roberts said that at the previous sitting agreement had been reached Oil all points except wages. Tho commissioner said the main difficulty seemed to be how best to deal with tho Golden Dawn Company. All other points at tho time had seemed substantially to havo been agreed to. Mr. Farroll said ho had spoken with a number of tho Golden Dawn men yesterday and had explained how the company was situated. Tho men quite naturally decided to leave the matter of an increaso in tho hands of the council. The company employed about 106 men on full time at present. Mr. Roberts said the impression given previously seemed to be that the Golden Dawn men should not get tho same increase as the Waihi Company's men, because of the financial position in which tho mine was at present placed. He thought it possible that it was the position of the Golden Dawn men that had prevented tho union coming to a definite conclusion. It had been said that if the Dawn men wero granted an increase, tho mine would be obliged to be closed down. Prospects at Golden Dawn

Mr. Farrell said that if the mine progressed for the next two or three months as it was doing now the company might be in a position to pay higher wages, and if this were so the directors would be pleased to moot tho men and reconsider tho matter. After further discussion Mr. Milligan asked the union assessors if they had not come to tho original conference as duly accredited representatives of tho union, and as such accepted the offer made by the Waihi company of a flat-rato bonus of Is 3d a shift, payable quarterly. Mr. Roberts agreed, but said that if it had been known that tho Golden Dawn tangle would arise tho assessors would not have accepted. Tho hearing was adjourned until tomorrow morning.