INCENSED MINERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 33, 8 February 1929, Page 7

INCENSED MINERS.

RIOTS IN MONMOUTH

Police Forced To Draw Batons To Protect Workers. MANY CASUALTIES. (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) LONDON, February 7. A clash occurred at the Nine Mile Point Colliery, Monmouthshire, between a crowd of idle miners, accompanied by women, and the police. Owing to a dispute with the coalmine owners the majority of the miners had refused to work in the property. P'our men, however, resumed work. When these men were going to the pit yesterday morning nearly 1000 men, women and boys assembled and jeered at them, calling them "blacklegs."

Thirty or forty policemen surrounded the four workers and the crowd rushed them. The police charged with drawn batons and many of the demonstrators went away with their heads bleeding. The hostile crowd had awaited the coming of the four miners and their police escort. Some of them climbed trees and Lave the signal when the miners were approaching. More policemen were rushed to the scene to reinforce the escorting party. All were eru-hed together in a narrow street. The chief constable only gave the order to the police to u-e their batons when the escort could not force a way through the mob. A wild rush followed. Many men fell and a few women were hurt in the stampede. Several volleys of stones were flung at the pi-lice, who pressed forward mimr their batons until they had dispersed the whole crowd. One constable and 20 or .10 civilians were injured. Most of them sustained cuts on their heads.

Doles Stopped. I The dispute at the Xine Mile Point ! Colliery was referred to in the House j of Commons yesterday. | The Minister of Labour, Sir Arthur j Steel-Maitland. said the Xine Mile i Pcint Colliery was closed down on November '.}. The dispute arose in connection with the non-payment of unemployment benefit. An umpire decided the point in favour of the miners. Then the employers, on January 25. offered amended terms to the miners individually. A xcw accepted, but the majority refused the terms, after which the unemployment insurance officer in the district refused to distribute doles. His reason was that the men had rejected an offer of employment. In that connection the miners were appealing. Mr. T. Shaw (Lab., Preston): Is there any evidence that there is a body of unemployed miners in South Wale's who are unwilling to work? The Minister: I have no evidence of that kind. All the evidence will be heard by the conimit'ee which is considering the question of unemployment benefits. Mr. J. J!. Clynes i Lab., Platting. Manchester): Is not the stoppage due to the owners refusing to meet the Miners' Federation ? The member was requested to give notice of his question.