Waihi-Silverton Mine.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 8382, 27 June 1899, Page 2

Waihi-Silverton Mine.

THE SLIDING SCALE.

PROBABLE SITTING OF CONCILI

ATION BOARD.

WAIHI, June 26.

Saturday's Waihi Chronicle, in the course of a leading article, has the following:

"The institution of the sliding scale in the Silverton mine will no doubt prove the means of the Conciliation iJoard sitting for the first time in Waihi. Thames Miners' Union, have, we believe, sent in a notification to that company to the effect that the same rate of wages be paid in their mine as in the Waihi Company apd others. It appears that thiß cofenpany has not been paying the same amount of wages in connection with various positions held in their mine aa other companies are ip the habit of paying. The advent of the sliding Male ia causing this and other important matters to come to light, which, heretofore have refrained under a cloud. It must be explained that the shift bosses (who have resigned their positions in the mine) placed their grievance in the hands of the Miners' Union, and had no intention of leaving till the I matter had been investigated by that body ; but on being intimated by Mr. Sorenson, through, the manager, that if they would not submit they could go—or words to that effect—they consequently left, taking that intimation as tantamount to direct dismissal. .

. . The shift bosses in question considered that the introduction of the sliding scale is merely the thin end of the wedge towards general reduction of wages, and they gave up their billets in the interests of the men 1 for that reason.. We have been infortned that the frnine manager and battery superintendent are also subject to a sliding scale, which act* on the aniount of the returns over and above the actual working expenses. This action looks very bad for the ultimate success of the company, and we cannot understand why the mine manager has not been vested with cofmplete control of the mine as a whole, instead. of throwing away a large sum per .year on a superintendent, and when reductions have to be made the first who suffer by it are the least, capable of bearing the' strain. A mine manager has to be a veritable storehouse of knowledge, and as the examinations are severe, he is suppoßed to be well up in all the many different branches connected with ■lining; and if he has to be so, why in the name of common sense is he subjected to the authority of a superintendent, who fiddles about the surface, cuts wages down and disturbs all the manager's plans. The 'single hammer method' is also being introduced in this mine, and the next thing we suggest that the superintendent ought to do is to change' its name to the 'Silverton Siberian Company.' , The shift bosses who have resigned their positions are men who have 'been in the Silverton mine from'almost its oojminencement, and in causing them to take such an action the superintendent has materially injured the company.' Mr. Moss in his political address said, in reply to a question, that these men had been put on the sliding scale so as to make them more oareful in picking the stone, but—he rightly added—if the men were not giving satisfaction he (Mr. Sorenson) knew what to do, instead of adopting such unfair measures. This excuse of Mr. Sorenspn's is a very pitiable and despotic one, and shows how such a man can shuffle and find petty mean excuses for,his conduct. No doubt this gentleman would, with an open face, tell those shift bosses that he never intended such a thing to happen —oh, dear, no! The bosses decline to accept the sweating, wages offered; they decline to treat men like beasts, and be it to their everlasting credit. It is hard to understand why miners working in the {mine were offered the sajme rate of pay to t*ke the shift bosses', places. The Conciliation Board will no doubt set matters aright. U certainly wants some strong force to keep the laws of equity and justice in their place, for there are many so-called human beings who are only too willing to crush their fellowcreatures down to the level of a gal-ley-slave.''^