MINERS’ WAGES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7446, 22 May 1911, Page 1

MINERS’ WAGES

VALUE OF CONFERENCES INDUSTRIAL WARFARE HAS BAD RESULTS. INTERVIEW WITH MR SEMPLE. Special to the "times." AUCKL AND, May 20. Mr R. Semple, organiser for, tho New Zealand Federation ' of Labour, has reached Auckland after • having spent some days at Waihi with the miners there, advising them as to procedure in consequence of the expiry and cancellation of their industrial award. In the course of a chat with a "Star” reporter Mr Semple mentioned that business .generally was rather-dull-round Waihi, as a result,of the, slump, but the workmen were not te any. extant affected, as work at the mine was going on as usual. Last week the miners drew up a reference of wages and conditions to submit to the company. The workmen proposed to ask for a conference between their representatives and representatives of the company, with a view to arranging a peaceful acceptance of the award; “We feel perfectly satisfied,” ha said, "that if the representatives of the company meet the men in a friendly spirit ,i amicable agreement will bo the outcome. A conference is, in our opinion, the most practicable fashion of settling industrial disputes. The merits of the various grievances are discussed from a practical point of view, and a logical conclusion is generally arrived at. Take, for instance, the boal mining districts. When the cancellation of their awards was recommended, within the last six months or so, l it was generally considered that an industrial crisis would’ take place. Since then conferences have been held throughout, with the result that.a fetter.understanding between the workmen and the masters prevails, awards have been signed, and the whole coal. industry seems to bo in a better position so’ far as industrial troubles are concerned than it has been for a long time. ' /'■■■ - : BLACKBALL POINTS- A MORAL, ; “For instance, take tho Blackball mine, whore,there had been a groat deal , ox bad leering existing lor the last two or' three years. Prior to. my coming to tins, islaiul i, along with Mr Webb, (secretary or cue ifoaoration ov Labour) ana local ■, fexJi-eSvMiUDtivfcs m cue- liuaoaoaa Union, met ill open .conference w,ith "Mr Lot.ecu (ri,vre&eii:rativ e of the: mine propivoairy) and Air Hickson (rfapresemaJiave oi tiiii rsew ZbadaiUi - Goaiiiuao'ujrs': Aiii-o-ci’ation), and. wq were iu. drawing up a Tair : agreement—much better, iuueeu, tnan the; agreement iast drawn by tire court. , To-uay. Cue ouuook of. aitalfs, generally at Blackmail is ' muon bngntor than it has .been, for- a conamttratne time. . If tne same foeLng. prevails with .tne ’ Waihi 'Company.: tnat prevailed iu. tne Blackball instance 1 an- arijjcaum settlement can be accomplished. Industrial warfare is, fo. my-, mind. - a powerless weapon wnich brings d.sastrous results both to the workineu and to tne industry.” WAIHI MINERS’ REQUESTS. Asked about the proposals of the Waihi miners, Mr bempie said tnere were, several alterations irom the awaru, under which they nad previously 1 worked. They asked for an increase;of wages.. A The wages' ' there were. very : low t generally. Outside men wore' paid 7s lid a. day' and the ,8s 6d a day paid to m-.nors was tab lowest wage in JNew Zealand for eucn labour. Iu every coalmining district tne wage of tno miners was 10s a day, while the cost of living at- Waihi was just aa high ’as in other district : in the Dominion. , ' ' , “One thing the miners intend to deal with,” added Mr Semple,. “is the question of the contract ‘ system'. Hitherto the miners have been , taking contracts and employing thou fellow- workers lon wages. This system the miners propose Ito del away with, and to -inaugurate a : system of co-operative contract, share and share alike.”-