THE HIKURANGI DISPUTE

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 31

THE HIKURANGI DISPUTE

AN ABORTIVE CONFERENCE GEAR REMOVED FROM MINE. WHANGAREI, August 27. In pursuance of the declaration that all plant be removed unless the men resumed immediately, Wilsons (No. 3) Portland Cement Company has removed the last pump from the mine at Hikurangi, and the engine has stopped working for the first time in many years. A conference was held in Auckland this afternoon between the miners’ representatives and the company directors. Meantime the workings are being flooded very rapidly, and even if a settlement of the dispute is reached at once the dewatering of the mine and the replacing of the gear will prove costly operations, and much delay is inevitable before the extraction of coal can be recommenced. The situation of the whole industry at Hikurangi is very crucial. No agreement was reached at the conference between the directors of the company and the representatives of the miners. NO SIGN OF SETTLEMENT. WHANGAREI, August 29. There is no immediate sign of a settlement of the . strike at Wilson’s (N.Z.) Portland Cement Company’s mine at Hikurangi, which has been idle since August 19 last. A devolpment was contained in a letter to the secretary of the Hikurangi Miners’ Union, in which the manager of the , Hikurangi Coal Company stated that Wilson’s had placed an order for 500 tons of coal weekly from the Hikurangi Company's mine, which would enable full time work there, and would help considerably in relieving the general stress. The president of the Miners’ Union promptly rejoined that if any coal was supplied to Portland from the Hikurangi Company’s mine the union would order the withdrawal of all men from that colliery. The miners’ delegates who met Wilson’s directors in Auckland yesterday will report to a meeting of strikers at Hikurangi to-morrow. The result is awaited with tense anxiety as it is officially stated that if Wilson’s mine is left unattended another week it will be impossible to replace the pumps and other plant which have been withdrawn, and this will render the mine derelict besides jeopardising the contiguous mine of the Hikurangi Company.