STATE COAL MINES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19018, 14 November 1923, Page 6

STATE COAL MINES.

CONDITIONS OF NEW AWARD. THE WORKERS DISSATISFIED. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 13. The framing of the new award covering the State coal mines was the subject of a letter recently forwarded to the Minister of Mines by the secretary of the Coal Miners' Federation (Mr P. O’Rolirke). “As the result of admissions made by the coal owners regarding the inadequacy and unjustness of the existing Arbitration Court awards for the coal-mine workers in New Zealand,” stated (Mr O’Rourke, “and as the men at the State mines are working under exactly similar conditions. I am instructed bv my executive to inquire from you, as head of the State mines, whether it is not possible immediately to scrap the award now in existence there, and arrange for a conference between the Miners’ Federation, the local union, and representatives of your Department to discuss and arrange working conditions and rates of pay at the mines, and so remove the friction that exists as admitted by yourself and representatives of the coal mine owners recently. Once an injustice is admitted no useful purpose can bo served by perpetuating it. I feel convinced you will admit, sir, as a result of your recent tour and the meeting you had with the various miners’ representatives, that there is a tremendous amount of room for improvement all round.” The Minister (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) has replied that he has on no occasion admitted the existence of any friction at the State mines. “This being so,” he states, “and as the working conditions at such mines are the subject of two industrial agreements which were entered into voluntarily bv the renresentatives of the State Miners’ Union, I regret that I am unable to see my wav to give effect to your suggestion.”