PRODUCTION OF COAL

Southland Times, Issue 24765, 9 June 1942, Page 4

PRODUCTION OF COAL

Council Established In Southland A complete understanding on the coal position in Southland was reached yesterday at Nightcaps after a conference between the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, and representatives of the coal owners and coal miners. The conference adopted a proposal to set up an advisory body to be known as the Southland Coal Production Council, its object being to obtain and maintain the maximum output of coal. Concessions were made by the companies and the miners agreed to fill all the trucks provided and work the full hours of the agreement. The Minister returned to Invercargill last night and made a statement about the conference. “I am certain, that the conference ended in a better spirit being shown and, also, a keener sense of their responsibility to the public was manifest by both sides,” he said. “I will be very disappointed if a considerable improvement does not take place in coal production in Southland.” Mr Webb said that the good feeling which existed at the start of the meeting was a happy augury. All agreed that their maximum was small compared with what the men in the armed services were doing, and that they must on no account let them down. The Minister emphasized that it was no time for cheese-paring or the nursing of grievances. The utmost co-opera-tion and goodwill were absolutely essential if the greatest effort was to be achieved. COUNCIL SET UP

It was ultimately agreed that a Southland Coal Production Council, consisting of four representatives of the owners and four of the miners, be set up to investigate and give every help and advice to the union, the management and the Government on the best methods for the improvement of the coal output. It was also agreed to establish pit committees, consisting of representatives of the contract workers, the wage workers and the manager of each mine, to visit their respective mines and deal with any difficulties and make any suggestions for the improvement of the methods of work; the committees in turn to report to the Southland Coal Production Council. The question of conveying men who had to travel long distances underground was fully discussed, and two of the companies, Linton and Wairaki, agreed to install a hoist system to save the time and energy of miners, it being agreed that the climbing of the steep workings was strenuous and tiring. LACK OF PLANT It became evident, said the Minister, that the companies were seriously handicapped for the want of mining plant, and he promised to do his utmost to see that they were kept fully equipped with the plant required to increase production. The Linton Company agreed to appoint a man in charge of the transport trucks underground, and the men on the workers’ side agreed to fill all the trucks they could get provided there was an equal distribution in keeping with the agreement. The men also pledged themselves to work the hours in the agreement. . On Sunday the Minister visited Nightcaps and Ohai and addressed meetings of miners. He also made an inspection of the Linton mine.