THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 65, 16 March 1908, Page 5

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

MINE STILL CLOSED. MEN DETERMINED TO FIGHT. (By Telegra&b.— rress Association.) GRErMOUTH, Sunday. There is a complete deadlock at Blackball over the strike. Everything was in readiness for work yesterday, and the mine officials were in attendance, but no miners turned up, aud the mine was closed. The men are determined to stand firm and fight the position. A meeting was held, and it was decided! to solicit support, Mr. Pritchard being appointed to canvass Christchurch, Dun-' edin, and the rest of the South Island, while Mr. Hickey will appeal to Wei-1 lington, Westport, and Nelson. j Efforts are being made to get the • Ty-neside and the State colliery miners • to come out, but at meetings held yesterday the proposals were not favour- ( ably received. It is freely rumoured that the Blackball Coal Company intend to close the mine down until the railway from Ngahere to Blackball is completed, and in the meantime to go on erecting newlines. The manager has notified the miners that all the agreements and con- j cessions agreed to by him are off. The miners claim that the decision of the Arbitration Court is too severe. Last evening everything was quiet, and no public speeches were delivered.! The whole affair is looked upon as very I serious by the business people of Grey-1 mouth, and the Blackball tradesmen have stopped all credit, refusing goods unless the money is paid down.