OTIRA TUNNEL CASE (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 34

OTIRA TUNNEL CASE (From Our Own Correspondent.)

GREYMOTTTH, November 21. The Arbitration Court has been engaged this week hearing the labour dispute from Otira. As M'Lean Bros, have instituted proceedings against a Wellington paper for libel alleged to be contained in an interview with T J. Malloy, and intend taking similar action against journals Sublished in Christchurch, Dunedin, and [okitika, the evidence given at the hearing should prove of more than ordinary interest. Murdoch M'Lean, in his evidence, stated that the conditions of the contract were being carried out to the satisfaction of the resident engineer. jEfficient drainage existed in the tunnel, and it was not necessary for the men to walk up to their knees in mud and slush, nor even over a man's boot-tops, on entering. The workmen's representative proceeded to examine Mf M'Lean on the conditions of contract, but the judge intervened, stating that the court was called upon to adjudicate on an application for an increase in wages. / „ „ The evidence of the men working at the tunnel was then taken. Henry Eagust stated that they had been (working for six months in very wet ground. If they did not go into the tunnel with a pair of 'watertight boots on, their feet v/ould be wet through in less than an hour. There was a dram cat on one side for about 600 ft, but beyond that it was water and *lush. About three months ago they tried the eight hours* shift for about nine days. It continued wet, so they went back to six hours' shifts, which they had been working for the past two months. The men have not been denied crib time. There were no sanitary arrangements whatever within the tunnel, which was now driven a length of 16 chains. Sometimes in a change of country the after-fames from a »hot were very poisonous, but he, had aot kixrirn personally of aitr men baring had a fit in consequence of the gases. The tunnel vas lighted with acetylene, but electric light would be preferable in every way. The huts for the workmen were very roughly built, bnt were fairly comfortable. There were excellent arrangements made for the men when they came •off work. There were hot 'and cold baths and shower baths, and hot and cold water in the lavatories, patent sanitary appliances, and the temperature was very warm in the drying-room for the clothes. A six hours' shift was desirable when in wet country, but where the ground was dry, and the men did not require to wear oilskins, eight hours could be worked. William Watson, in the course of his testimony, contended that a man jwould only be able to work in the tunnel for about six months before he had become a cripple. In reply to Mr Pryor, witness stated that he/ Ijad not tried to/ improve the hut he lived in. He did not know of anyone having gone to the 'hospital as the result of six months' working In the tunnel.

Frederick Duffy said the water affected the hands considerably, producing sores. William Baxter, a* blacksmith, said he was satisfied with his conditions of employment, and recognised that the M'Leans were jrood employers. Tool-sharpeners should vfit 11s Bd, as obtained elsewhere.

Mr Pryor, then opened the case for the employers. He desired to again point out that this was a case in which no award v/ns needed. A work of this magnitude * ither meant something satisfactory to those who took the risk of completing it or ruin. Whan M'Lean and Sons undertook the contract there was no award, nor had there been any specially named conditions of labour. The contractors were bound down under very hard-and-faft conditions. The time limit was very strict, and the penalties imposed were very heavy for any delay. If an award were now made as applied-for, it would mean absolute ruin to the firm, which had not contemplated any such conditions ,as were now asked for. It was acknowledged that M'Lean Bros, were good employers. Mr Murdoch M'Lean was looked upon as a good boss, andjiis men had stood to him tor years. They had come to Otira in the })ame way, and many had worked since the tunnel operations* began. There were »io complaints for several months, v hen another element came inj and it did not come from the men in the tunnel. It was an agitators' dispute, and was got un by outsiders. On the f-ix hours' &hift question v fr Pryor pointed out that this clause was '':« crux of the whole demand. It really

;..?ant that if a six hours' shift were fixed it meant an increase of the cost of the contract by over £60,000. Murdoch M'Lean said the Reefton mining pward was the basis on whicli -they tendered for the contract. The claim' made now would mean 15 per cent, on £600.000, which was the cost of the labour required. The other provisions, such as salaries and machinery, accounted! for the £200,000 which made up the price of the contract. To grant the concessions asked for would mean a dead loss— in fact, ruin — to the firm. In almost all rock tunnels there was •water dripping in more or lees quantities, particularly where they were working deep under ground. He bad visited several tunnels at Home, and in all of them water was coming through. The men forked in eight-hour shifts. To pay eight clours' wages for six hours' work would mean adding about 20 per cent, to the cost of the work. The increase of the cost, if the demands of the union were granted, would mean an addition of i£60,000, and would mean ruin to the firm. He had plenty of applications for work, t?ut could not employ more men at piesent. From l£in to" 2in of water \v;u» as much as ever ran down the tunnel, vi which thero was a steep declijie of 1 in 3J. 52te men were providfid with oilers, an<? he knew well that these kept their bodies dry. The ventilation was in exceed of the Specifications, wherein 76ft per man was required, bat 180 ft ra tba supply daily. B* alleged that th» failure of the <ixp£«r grew was mtixlj due te nsg&^ano-!. He

[should jTrefer to use electric lights in the j tunnel, -as the power would cos?, them no- ' thing, and the wires very little, but the globes would be an expensive item, and he doubted if they would be a success. "Still, they were going to try it. He had studied th"c question of tunnel lighting very closely when on the Continent, and had found the acetylene lamps were very much preferable to any other class of lighting. The health of the men generally was very good indeed. There was no illness., and they had never had to call in a doctor for sickness, and only once or twice for injury. Speaking of the wet state of the tunnel, Mr M'Lean said he should be willing to give shifts of six hours if the gangs, when at work, became wet in two hours or less ; !;ut not in such country a 6 they were working now, which was not wet country. He objected to being tied down to employ a unionist. The idea that he expected to make £100,000 through abandoning the contract was preposterous.

John Wood, Government Engineer, said the conditions of the contract were being carried out satisfactorily. Walter Newton, Inspector of the Labour Bureau at Christchurch, stated that he inspected a number of the huts, and had seen that in come cases the timber had shrank, and where cracks had occurred they had been covered with laths and madegood. The sanitary arrangements at the tunnel mouth were excellent.

Professor Bickerton said lie had analysed the water, which was exceptionally pure. Dr M'Kay said- there had been a number of septic cases in thi*. district during May, June, and July of this year. The trouble at Otira was not in his opinion due to the Otira alone, as it was general throughout the district. After lengthy addresses by representatives of both parties, the court reserved its decision.