MINERS’ HOURS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21193, 16 August 1940, Page 6

MINERS’ HOURS

CHARGE BY OFFICIAL FULL TIME NOT WORKED RECORD LOW OUTPUT The charge that the miners at Glen Afton Collieries were not fulfilling the agreement in respect of hours was made by Mr A. Hayward, chairman of directors of Glen Afton Collieries, Ltd., at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, to-day. “The Minister of Mines has set up a controlling authority for coal mining,” said Mr Hayward. “A Commission of three, having wide and complete powers, has been appointed, the aim being to bring about an improvement in the coal output of the country by ensuring that all mines are worked in an efficient manner. However, while they can compel all owners to carry out their instructions in such matters as housing, travelling, or general mine management, so far they have been unsuccessful in getting the men to carry out their part of the agreement in regard to the hours worked. “The agreement provides for an 8hour day, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., bank to bank or bath-house to bath-house, which, of course, includes travelling time into the workings, time for crib. 12 noon to 12.30 p.m. and travelling time out. For some time past the men have made a practice of coming out of the mine from 3 to 3.30 p.m “This practice, I regret to say, together with the ever increasing ratio of truckers to miners required to get the coal out, has brought about the lowest coal output per man in the history of the colliery.”