IDLE HUNTLY MINES.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13100, 31 January 1936, Page 4

IDLE HUNTLY MINES.

men demand safer CONDITIONS.

Electric Telegraph—Press Association HAMILTON, Last Night.

Four of five collieries in the Huntly coalfields are idle to-day as the result of the decision of more than 1000 miners to refuse work until saUfer conditions governing the use of machinery in the MacDonald Mine are brought into effect. The action is tlie culmination ot nine months’ work under protest by the employees of the MacDonald mine at Glen Afton, and it was stated to-day that in view of the grave danger to the workers a united stand would be taken by all miners to secure improved conditions. Some nine months ago the MacDonald Company installed machines for extracting coal in pillar workings. Competent miners were of the opinion that, owing to the lack ot supports, there was a very real danger ot a major subsidence, and, although the company offered an increase of 3d per ton to the miners, thev worked after the installation oif the new equipment only under protest. It is understood that the mine management expressed the opinion at this time that the danger was exaggerated, and the use of the machines continued.

The equipment, which weighs about five tons, consists essentially of an electrically-driven pick, which is concentrated on the base of the pillars, causing their eventual collapse, cannot be heard while the machine is operating. To-day a meeting of 300 miners, by a big majority, decided not to resume Work until tlie position at the MacDonald mine is rectified.