WAIKATO COAL OUTPUT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25455, 9 February 1944, Page 2

WAIKATO COAL OUTPUT

REPLY TO COMPANIES POSITION OF OLDER MEN (Special) AUCKLAND, Feb. 8. A reply to the statement made on behalf of the mining companies operating in the district was given to-day by Mr R. Richards, a member of the Huntly District Miners’ Council. The companies’ statement dealt with stopwork meetings, absenteeism, and the early departure of the men from the mines. . . , . “I think the companies are taking an unfair advantage in taking the first three days of the working period into consideration, when they know that there was a great number of men delayed through being unable to travel home,” • said Mr Richards. In fact, some men were unable to get home for a week or so. With regard to stop-, work meetings, the whole responsibility has been nlaced on the miners. I think it is only right to say that the miners have no desire to hold unnecessary meetings, but if disputes occur and the managements are not prepared to settle them with the union officials sureiy we have a right to place the matters before the members of the unions.

“Furthermore, if the managements had a sense of responsibility, there would be no need for so many stopwork meetings, and more harmony would prevail in the Waikato mining industry,’’ continued the speaker. “ The early departure of men from the mines occurs only when they are working in wet places (our agreement provides for a six-hour shift), or due to some breakage in machinery. “ I think it can be said that economic necessity, compels miners to remain at the coai face as long as possible, but there is a position arising, due to fatigue, which requires investigation. We find very few of the younger men being put on to the coal face, which means that the older men, who have been at the face for a considerable number of years, are beginning to feel the strain of the arduous work. “ The miners shbmit that there are a number of weaknesses and some abuses in the machinery governing the industry,” Mr Richards said. “There are some basic questions of compensation, treatment of older men and incapacitated men, that need full consideration and attention. There are some small, seemingly irrelevant matters, that need adjustment, and some practical mining questions, which, if attended to, should result in the production of more coal.”