HUNTLY MINES.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18925, 20 April 1933, Page 8

HUNTLY MINES.

GOVERNMENT TO MOVE.

FULL INVESTIGATION ORDERED. .■fCJIRTHER MEETINGS HELD. (Special to Times.). RENOWN COMPANY’S PROPOSAL. ATTITUDE OF OTHER OWNERS. (By Telegraph.—Special to Times.) AUCKLAND, Wednesday. A clear indication that the New Zealand Coalmine Owners’ Association does not subscribe to the proposal which the Renown Company submitted to its miners was given in a statement issued this morning by Colonel W. D. Holgate, president of the association. “The Taupiri, Glen Afton and Renown Mines are closed on account of the Renown Company posting a notice last week at its mine stating that the mine would not open on Tuesday unless the miners were agreeable that 20 per 'cent, of their wages be kept back until cutting prices was discontinued,” said Colonel Holgate. “ I might state that the Renown Company is subject to an agreement made between the Coalmine Owners’ Association and the District Council in February for one year. The action of the Renown Company was done without reference to the Coalmine Owners’ Association, who naturally would not have agreed to such a proposal. The Miners’ District Council has submitted the matter, I understand, to Mr Bishop, Secretary to the association at Wellington. I am now in communication with him regarding same. It Is possible, on account of the intervening Easter holidays,, that Mr. Bishop would not know anything.of this master until he arrived at his office this morning. Neither would he reply without referring the matter to me." MEETING AT HUNTLY. POSITION NOT CHANGED. HUNTLY, Thursday. A meeting of miners was held this evening, when the situation was discussed briefly. It was announced subsequently that there had not been any alteration in the position. RENOWN COMPANY’S POSITION. AUCKLAND, Thursday. N. R. Chapman, on behalf of Renown Collieries, said yesterday that Mr W. D. Holgate, president of the New Zealand Coalmine Owners’ Association, had stated that the Renown Company was subject to the agreement between the association and the district council. “ The Renown Company, with the other collieries, agreed to the rates then suggested, taking into consideration the prices then ruling for the various grades of coal," said Mr Chapman. “As from April 3, however, two of the signatories to the agreement have made drastic cuts in the selling prices of all grades of coal, which Mr Holgate has also been reported to have stated to be well below the cost of production. It is obvious that the conditions under which mine wages were agreed to are so drastically altered that a reduction in mining costs is imperative and justified.” CONFERENCE AT AUCKLAND. TO OPEN FRIDAY MORNING. HUNTLY, Thursday. The three companies concerned received the following telegram from the Minister yesterday: —“With the object of ascertaining the facts regarding the existing troubles at the Waikato collieries, the Under-Secre-tary has been instructed by me to meet representatives of the companies concerned at Auckland. I shall be glad therefore if you are able to be present at the chief post office at 10.30 a.m. next Friday."

' The message has also been received by the directors of the Pukemiro and Wilton collieries, although work is still proceeding at their mines. Mr Kimbell will confer with representatives of the miners at Huntly this morning.

PROTEST AGAINST INTERVENTION. ENTERED BY COMPANIES. AUCKLAND, Thursday. A protest against State intervention in the dispute was made yesterday by Mr W. D. llolgale, president of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association. “ The association is quite capable of looking after its own affairs," he said. “ I intend to ascertain which company lias been responsible for seeking State intervention, and when 1 do I will make a further statement on the position.”