SOUTH AFRICAN CRISIS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16642, 26 January 1922, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICAN CRISIS.

REOPENING THE MINES. DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (R-eceived January 26, 5.45 a.m.) CAPE TOWN, January 25. The Miners’ Federation is again aiming at the essential services in the mines, and have requested the officials of tho association ~to take a ballot regarding continuance of the work. Mr Buckle, president of the Chamber of Mines opened the case for tli9 mine owners at the conference. He stated that as a result of the natives leaving the mines would be seriously hampered at restarting, and he dobbted whether it would now be possible to carry on on the Chamber’s original terms. He thought, also, that owing to flooding it might not be worth while reopening some of them. Generally speaking it was difficult to say on what terms it was worth reopening some mines. There was great difliculty regarding re-employment, and if the strike lasted only a short time longer more and more owners would find that they were unable to reope tlieir mines. Thus there wqs a most serious difficulty in coming to an agreement.

CONFERENCE DISCUSSION. THE COLOUR BAR. GAPE TOWN, January 25. At the conference on the gold 4 mines questions Mr Buckle (President of the Chamber of Mines), affirmed that the chamber never had any idea of removing the colour bar in seeking to terminate the status quo agreement. Its main desire was to retrench redundant white workers. Tho chamber was prepared to give guarantees as to theratio of whites to blacks. Sir Evelyn "Wallers (President- of the Transvaal Chamber of Mines) reiterated the cancellation of the status quo did not mean removal of the colour bar. The positio/i of the industry made retrenchment inevitable and the strike made greater retrenchment unavoidable. Air Gemmell said that with reduced costs hundreds of millions of tons of low grade* ore could be worked.