Otira Tunnel Trouble.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 4182, 27 August 1909, Page 2

Otira Tunnel Trouble.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Mr P. Hallley, Conciliation Commissioner for Wellington and the West Coast, arrived in Christchurch from Dunedin last evening, and will proceed to Otira to endeavour to effect a settlement of the difficulty that has arisen in connection with the tunnel construction works. He will, probably leave Christchurch on Saturday, when he will be accompanied by Mr W. H. Hagger, representative in Christchurch of the Labour Department. Mr McLean was expected to arrive from Wellington this morning, but advice was received this afternoon that he would not arrive until Friday, and the Labour Department officials will probably wait until his arrival before proceeding to the works. Wellington, Last Night. Replying to the manifesto of the Inangahua Miners' Union, Mr Murdoch McLean, interviewed, claimed that the firm had fully complied with •the conditions of the Public Contracts Act. The Miners' Union award only referred to goldmining companies, besides which the firm was paying the men higher wages than fixed by that award. Anyway, the Miners' Union award had no relation to the work undertaken by the firm. Tunnelling was special work, requiring special experience. The firm was fully complying with the provisions of the award under which the work was being carried out, and also urged that the Truck Act enabled employers to supply appliances and tools. No scheme had yet been devised by which working faces could be lighted by electricity. It was only reasonable to ask the men to protect the firm's property. A large number of lamps had been destroyed through the carelessness of the men. Regarding eight-hour shifts from Saturday* to Monday, he said there was no objection to the men working the seven hours, but in view of the high rate of wages it was unreasonabe to ask that they should be paid for the hour not worked. It seemed absurd to submit the matter in dispute to the Conciliation Commissioner; seeing that the men put themselves out of court by comitting a breach of the award. He believed the trouble had mainly been caused by a few union men and agitators, and if a free vote had been taken he felt confident that there would have been no trouble.