THE GOAL DISPUTE

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18926, 21 April 1933, Page 5

THE GOAL DISPUTE

THE HUNTLY MINERS. PECLINE TO ATTEND CONFERENCE. TAUPIRI AND GLEN AFT ON. • OBJECT ' 0 MEDIATOR. (By Telegrap^-Prn^A^oclatlonC^ Two of the five companies operating in the Waikato coalfields declined to attend the conference held to-day -with the Under-Secretary of Mines, Mr Kimbell, who arrived from Wellington for the purpose. Mr Kimbell will confer privately with these two companies. Mr Kimbell, in a statement, said his object was to smooth out the differences, so that the production and distribution of coal should proceed along orderly and planned lines. It was clear that if several of the mines were forced by uneconomic competition to close, many miners would be rendered Idle and much' capital lost. The companies -which refused to attend the conference are Taupiri and Glen Afton. Renown Company Crltlolsed. The Taupiri Company declared: — “The existing strike was caused wholly by the individual, ill-consid-ered, regrettable, and unjustifiable action of the Renown Collieries.’’ The president of the New Zealand Coal Owners’ Association,- Mr W. D. Holgate, said he did not consider any good purpose could be achieved by the State intervening at present. Mr Kimbell’s conference with the Renown, Pukemiro and Wilton Companies is being held in camera. RENOWN COMPANY’S AOTION. DEFENDED BY CHAIRMAN. AUCKLAND, - Friday. Mr H. R. Mackenzie, chairman of directors of the Renown Company, in an interview yesterday, replied to •statements made by Mr W. D. Holgate, president of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association. “Mr Holgate says the association is quite capable of looking after its own affairs, that he Intends to ascertain which company has been responsible for seeking State Intervention, and that when he does he will make a further statement on the position," said Mr Mackenzie. ' “Realising the position whloh Mr Holgate holds in the community, one Is more than surprised at a man In his position making that statement,” said Mr Mackenzie. "In a previous Interview Mr Holgate stated that he was not aware that there was a price war In the cbal mining Industry in the Waikato. “As president of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association, and being fully in touch with the affairs of the indus,try, Mr Holgate must have been aware of the actkn taken by the two companies which are members of the association of which he is president. The fact that these companies had decided on a prloe for coal at the mines, which price was an absolutely absurd price, must have been known to Mr Holgate, and for him, therefore, to’ make a public statement that he was not aware of a coal war is on a parallel with the recent statement to which I have referred. "Mr Holgate was perfectly aware that -it was my company which approached the Government,” said Mr Mackenzie. “This is proved by his reference to the fact that we were responsible for creating the trouble that has arisen , through our having approached our employees. For Mr Holgate to state that we have crested a breach of an agreement is also contrary to fact. We have broken no agreement, as any proposals we submitted to our miners do not in any way vary the rates of wages which were agreed on by the Waikato Goal Mines Association and the miners in the Huntly district. The fact that the Minister of Mines lifts seen fit to v act as he has done is proof that we hid every justification in submitting to him certain facts in connection with the Industry." THE MEN’S ATTITUDE. STATE INTERVENTION FAVOURED. (Special to Times.) HUNTLY, Friday. Although tho District Council declines to make any official statement, It is learned that the miners approve of the Minister’s intervention. It Is pointed out that similar action settled the last strike with ono round-table conference of owners and men, presided over by the Minister of Labour. This was accomplished after the strike had dragged oil for several weeks.

The Pukcmlro Company has returned to the prices ruling before the "coal war," as from Tuesday last. The Wilton Company did not reduce its prices when the "war” started and the Renown Company has already stated that as soon ns the,“war" Is ended the notice regarding the necessity of postponing a portion of the men’s wages will be withdrawn, it would seem, therefore, that It only requires two of the five companies to fall into line as regards prices for the trouble to settle. Disinclined to Wake Overtures. The men appear to be disinclined to make any overtures in the matter, contending that it is purely a matter for the companies to settle among themselves. They contend, however, that the selling prices of coal must, and do, bear a strong relationship to the rates of wages that will be paid. The men say that at the conference between the owners and men last January the owners endeavoured to otbain a reduction in wages, and stated that not one of the companies in the Waikalo was making any profits. The men fear that the present “war" must be followed bv an attempt to reduce wages, and aver Ihat if the companies were all showing a loss on the prices ruling last January this loss must he at least doubled In the “coal war" prices which the chairman of the Coalowners’ Association has publicly sinl«u is below Ihe cost of production.

(Continued in next column )

Tho Minors Puzzled

The men arc convinced that there is some ulterior motive behind the companies, and until this idea is removed there is little likelihood of work being resumed. dne thing which appears to puzzle the men is that the president of the Coalowners’ Association repeatedly refers to the breaking of an agreement between the companies and Hie men. The men slate definitely that no agreement lias ever been signed.