WEST COAST NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1846, 14 January 1920, Page 3

WEST COAST NOTES.

WATERSIDE WORKERS. PROPOSED ACTION POSTPONED. From Our Own Oorresvondent GEEYMOUTH, January 12. Some time ago the Greymouth waterside workers decided by ballot that, after the end of the year, they would discontinue the custom of working after midnight. At a meeting of the union, held a few evenings ago, it was resolved, after hearing representations from the Waterside Federation, to postpone giving effect to the original resohit ion until after the conference with i employers, which will be held in Febru-1 «ry, and at which the whole question will be discussed, from a Dominion viewpoint. Discontented Miners. The Westport-Stockton Coal Company has prepared plans and specifications for the erection of workmen's cottages at Ngakawau. There has lately been I a good deal of discontent amongst the | miners in the Westport district. At I Denniston last week the mine was idle j one dav because there were only two | tipper/at the bins, instead of three,, as before the holiday vacation. The officer in charge of the bins volunteered to do the work of the third man, but the offer was not accepted, and the result of the day's idleness was the loss j of 300 tons of coal. The conditions of life for the miners in this locality are far from attractive. Both Denniston and Burnett's Face are difficult of access, isolated, and with little means of social recreation. The consequence has been, not only a temper of irritability, but a considerable exodus of the miners, with a resulting serious diminution in the coal output. The Westport Company's mines are said to be capable of producing from 2500 to 3000 tons of coal daily, whereas the actual output is little more than 1000 tons. The last monthly return gives, for the Westport and Stockton mines, a total of 30,195 tons. The product of other mines was 1220 tons. Personal Mr Henry Morris, a prominent member of the Labour Party, died on Sunday, at Kunanga, at the age of 39 years. He was closely associated with the Labour movement, and had held numerous official positions in connection with socialistic and mining matters. He had been 12 years in. the Dominion. In the Old Country he had been an active member of* the Independent Labour! Party. , j