IDLE MINES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 January 1944, Page 2

IDLE MINES

HEAVY LOSS OF COAL PRODUCTION POSITION ON WEST COAST. SOME APPARENTLY TRIVIAL j GRIEVANCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, January 13. Though following the intervention ol Mr O’Brien, Minister of Transport and Acting Minister of Mines, and also Mr McLagan, Minister of National Service, who addressed meetings of Grey miners last evening, coal production in the Grey district should today have returned to normal, the position was in fact very little improved. Blackball, which never at any stage has joined the strikers. was working, and also Dobson, which was not affected by the fire in the machine shop last night, giving a total production of 400 tons, but the Liverpool, Strongman and Wallsend pits, which together produce 1500 tons, were idle. The original dispute has been shelved, at least temporarily, by the agreement of the men to resume work on the understanding that the Government will receive a deputation from the unions, though it is learnt that the decision to do so was reached by only the narrowest majority at a meeting at Runanga, attended by about 300 men. The miners went to the pits this morning, but in three cases returned. At Liverpool and Strongman they had not received their pay tickets on arrival, and in accordance with a resolution on Hie books returned home. The usual practice is for these to be handed to the men before entering the mine on the morning immediately before pay day, but the uncertainty that the mines would be resuming this morning was primarily responsible for the tickets not being available. Though only a little more than half the men were without tickets, all decided to return home. The position at Wallsend was different, an accumulation of gas in the return airway being the reason for the men’s decision not to work. The pit was open, as working places were not affected, but the miners decided to return home.

It is hoped that the mines will work tomorrow, but this is uncertain, as Saturday is normally an idle day, and it is possible that the men will elect not to work for only one clay. As a result of the stoppage, no coal was railed today to Westport from the Grey district for shipment, but it is expected that a small tonnage will be sent tomorrow. Meanwhile the Buller district has its own troubles, with the Millerton dispute still unsettled, and the WestportCascade co-operative mine in the Buller Gorge idle because of scarcity of water. The mine, which is situated some miles from the main road and railway, is dependent on a substantial water supply to convey the coal through seven miles of fluming, and Cascade Creek, which supplies the water, is now dry. Production ceases till substantial rain falls. As a result, vessels leaving Westport for the north are much underloaded. Cascade coal is the best household and steam variety, and thus the stoppage is serious.

DISPUTE AT ■ MILLERTON DECISION OF COMMISSION. WESTPORT, January 13. Yesterday the Coal Commission, Messrs C. Strongman and A. Prendeville, sat at Millerton to go into the dispute between the Millerton Miners’ Union and the management about having the run of coal for home consumption coal. After a long debate, lasting from 2.30 till 6.30 p.m., it was decided by the council that the miners’ request should be granted. Relative to the position of a resident doctor, this matter was before the Coal Council. Mr Prendeville communicated with Mr McLagan, Minister of Manpower, today, and received an assurance to the union that a doctor would be dispatched to Millerton at an early date. This decision was satisfactorily received by the union. It was decided by the Miners’ Union to call a general meeting of the Miners’ Union at Millerton tonight at 7.30. Members decided at the meeting that because of the absence of Birchfield and Granity members, they would adjourn the meeting till 11 a.m. tomorrow.