BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 137, 4 March 1908, Page 7

BLACKBALL STRIKE.

THE POS|TION UNALTERED. • A FRUITLESS CONFERENCE* v 'ATTITUDE OF TRADES AND LABOUR COUNCIL. ■ (BY TEIiEDBArn—SrEOI/Mi CORRESPONDENT-) Creymouth, March 3. The day's proceedings leavo the Blackball • strike ,in - exactly the - same position as was chronicled yesterday. This forenoon Mr. Lomas attended a largo ' meeting of the Union,: and put before tho men'tile desirability of-allowing-a'ballot-on tho '-.proposal "'to go-iboforo- the Arbitration Court,'a course to which tho mino manager ' was agreeable.. The,proposition was received with strong disapproval, and at, once it was . evidoht'.that on this point : the. miners were determined not to givo way. ./■■•lt/-was;[■ suggested, .thatthe miners, should , accept tlio, word of honour of .tho mines 'm&n-J agor that. the dismissed men would jiot be victimised. The' Union, howover, insisted :/.,, that'the; promiso should be in writing, which : tho. manager rofused/to givc._, .No agreement ~ . was. coine ito, .so .that the positionis as: hope- . ' less as before. ' ' . .•■ : / ";Future. developments are awaited with\tho ".keenest'inWest;''as 'it. is :felt ' that a- most /critical juncture, hasibeen reached., It is cx- /.'■ pected that the intentions' of tho Labour Department will be mado known to-morrow. I DISCUSSION BY TRADES COUNCIL. > To-'day the_ "Westland Trades ' and Labour - ' Council-,: sitting at' It cotton, discussed_ the', ■ position and .passed a motion sympathising with-.-tho -strikers, and recommending that tho Unions should morally and financially support;'the .Blackball. 'miners ; : duringthe strike. '- Some of tho delegates : even went as . far.,'a'i;to.-.suggest,.that,.all; the. West Coast coal..rimers should go out qn strike in sympathy. /Howover, this step was scouted and the' suggestion was not pushed. Tho. situation in that respect, however, is one of oxtreme dolicacy : ' - Another , motion at the conference that the';' ...V/Minister.?be'-.asked v the Arbitration /'Court to 5 intervene was'negatived, ! it;.beirig .'... the desire of tho .delegates that the Govcrn- ■. ment: shouldilfirst' make known its decision., '" ', DRAMATIC INCIDENT. ' Mr. Fitzgerald, .a Socialist leader from. Wellington, addressed a crowded meeting at Blackball on Sunday. night. Jie..commenced : his oration with/."-the : man with . the hoe," . . . and followed with/' The story of the. coat!'; : with which most people are familiar, but on, /. this occasion, the "ending was most dramatic.:. • / The lecturer ■ was-.just ' concluding a iioico denunciation of capitalism.when he fainted and had to bo carried/off- tho stage. AWAITING DEVELOPMENTS. . /kThe:. employers' state^that' : theiv/:p6sitipri'is : that the Umon accepted their original terms ./and then: brought :in new: conditions,. which they will" on no account accept. They aro thoreforo done 'with' the position, and will //: simply/: quietly-* await ■ dovelopmeiit?. >' Til re-' gard/to .working/the; mine/'eight/hours in- .. stead • qf.'..ton' hours,:; it Vis stated/, that.'/the: anmiarrecluction in .the output for the mino 1 , . would, bo at least 25,000 tons. As,complaints are'how, .being; riiado : that;,tho: ventilation is ' bad, ; the; Blackball/Coal Company to-day » telegraphed to-tho'Minister for Mines, asking ./:, . that , ho/appoint . any.r.'outside' expert. :tb : .px- : ; .'amino.the -minq, in - this.respect.;: The,,vontilai tion, the manager, contends, is equal to any- • mine in tho Dominion. _. v . .. The Tynesido Company here have chartered / tho Blackball .steamers Petone and Pareora, .so,.that thesq will not; bo thrown idle. . ' . ' RUMOURS OF GOVERNMENT ACTION. . "//..(fay; TiLEfSRiPU.T^PRESS/'iSSOCIATXON.) ' 1 ' Creymouth, March 3 /. .-/Matters}in.-connection'.-with..',the.''strike'*at. / Blackball-wero quiet to-day, and.- there is'a ' deadlock. -/T|ie. ; cqnferenee., wish. Mr;' Lomas and -Mr: Tonnerit, was'f ruitliss,; and: the men' ,Brq;.still determined;to'"stand''firm/and ! a#ait ! ' - results. -It is rumoured in town to-day that > i .if . the . strike -is settled to-morrow,- the , Government jtfilLtako immediate pction. . ,