COLLIERY WORKERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24791, 16 December 1941, Page 6

COLLIERY WORKERS

AIDING: THE WAR EFFORT EXTRA WORK IN HOLIDAY SEASON (PA.) HAMILTON, l Dec. 15. , Four extra days' work,; with a possible fifth day at the end of the holiday season, will "be undertaken by all-miners in'the Waikato coalfields during the coming three weeks. In response 'to an appeal by the Minister of Mines, MrE C.Webb, to the men to Work on, December 22, 23 and 24, the ,mep have gone 1 one better by undertaking to. work on' Saturday, December '20.,; ..■-.■•.• '.■•',"■';;.'•( .'- : It is understood that the miners'had considered stopping work earlier,owing to the possible shortage of railway, trucks, but this (difficulty-has now been overcome ' Instead, therefore, of finishing on Friday, December 19, and, returning to work on January 6, the executive of the Northern Miners'. Union, which met in Huntly last night and again this, morning, recommended to the men prior to ballots being taken at all the mines that the extra days should be worked. WEST GOAST MINERS (PA.) ' WELLINGTON, Dec. 15. The manager of the three State mines in the Westport area (Mr Smith) telephoned the Minister of Labour (Mr P. C: Webb) on his return to Wellington over the week-end that he had been in conference With the truckers, shiftmen and representatives of the Mine Workers' Union, and that they had agreed upon a plan of contract work, , which would operate from to-day (Monday). "This is a big advance, bringing about increased production," said Mr Webb. "The Dobson men, in common With the State miners,'have agreed to comply with the request for a curtailment of working holidays/and, in addition to that, pledge themselves, to work through any holidays when ' the Government, may call upon them io work." Stating that no matter how inconvenient it might be to work through the holidays, the Minister added that it was infinitesimal compared jvith what our. boys were going through: in fighting,for our liberty.