BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 171, 13 April 1908, Page 7

BLACKBALL STRIKE.

; TTNESIDE LEVY STOPPED. - UNION OFFICIALS RE-ELECTED. lm TELEQEAPH —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.) Creymoutji, April 12. The \last week's developments leave; this position in connection .with the Blackball strike as follows: The Blackball Union ■ ro< affirms its decision for a half hour crib tima. The Tynesido miners withdraw financial aid to the strikers. The Groymouth wharf . labourers allow the levy in support of tho wives arid children of the strikers to remain, but many members declare that they will no longer pay. '. . ;■ The Blackball miners' meeting, which wa». a protracted one, was largely, attended. • The resignation of officers was accepted, but aIX were re-elected unopposed. (It will be noted that, according to the • Press Association telegram, ,tlie President, Mr. Barnhill, was not re-elected; ho did no) offer himself.) >. ■ Several of the members of the executiva spoke very strongly in condemnation of thoi • action of. "one,, of the" strikers" in making c. some public disclosures. Telegrams were re ceivcd from Messrs., Hickey.'and. PritcltarJv- v > who are at Wellington. The former'said: "Tregear wishes his proposition to be dealt with by the executive. , Can explain everything. Am writ- ■ ; '"S-" i ■ - * ' ■ Mr. 'Pritchard was emphatic in the fot, ; lowing telegram: ' "Don't resign. Despite traitors, keep..a solid front, and victory Is yours. Do not heed the clamourings of a few creatures who would rather be slaves than free men. Yours is tho : cause of common jus- ; tlce.—David k. Pritcliard." ■ : The action of the Tyneside miners meani V the last of their'£3o per week paid to the strikers, who are very sore over the decision.'- - This was the outcome of the revelations mada ; •■/' ■> as to the attitude, of the executive in'not' ■ • giving information to members of 'the Union. (BY TELEGRAPH—rIIESS ASSOOIATION.iI Creymouth, April 12. On Saturday the executive of the Black* ball Miners' Union sent in their rosigna- }.■ i' tiona. As a meeting had. been called, tha 'members; rolled up,: and .-an election was: )! taken,, the. old executive, with the exceptionof, Mr. Barnhill,'offering themselves;for re- •• election. The' reason given for Mr'. Barn-j • hill's absence" was' .that as he; works on tlwr-v - ' 'Ngahere-Blackball railway, ho found ifc'waa\ very ' inconvenient..for . him.-to give' the rc-( ' quired. timoto the duties of . his . office am ' . president.' l ' . . v. ■ ■ '■ .-r 'V , ' The following officers wero nominated an<J[ wore declared elected: President, Mr;- ! vice-piesident, Mr. Buchanan; eocretary, ' Rogers; committee, Messrs. Mcecham,"Webb- ' Hall, Milligan, W. Leitch, and Richards. '•■ ; It was also decided to continue the strike,/ and to remain-firm in the demand-for half! an hour crib time. It is reported that over £300 was distri-- ' ,-buted in strike pay on Saturday, tho basis' V- '.' .of payment being thirty shillings for man, ■ 10s. for wife, and ss. for each-cliild. Ope ;miner lifted-£3 10a.; 1 'for,.'thG?j \reek': ,J .'•. "OBEY OR ABOLISH." • THE PREMIER ON THE LAW AND ITS 1 , - OBSERVANCE. WILL AMEND. BUT NOT SUSPEND, THE' : PRESENT ACT. . (BY ■ TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) t : v/■ . Kaltangata, April 12. • In the course of an address at Kaltangata last night, the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph. . Ward),dealt at some length with the arbitral - . tiori and,conciliation system. . SYSTEM BAD, DISOBEDIENCE WORSE, v , Tho whole trouble under, tho system, said Sir: Joseph, was that it ■ • every'man .. who was-iworking for a living/ : .under an. award to a,dead. level. If a, man :<;> was i a good- worker,-: he could not earn mora •.than an inferior!worker, with the result that) : the man who wanted, in the same,'time, by the. oxorciso. of, his superior skill or bettor. eclucation, to- earn more than thp man who was not so skilled, could not,'do so. For < that -reason/ he .considered, that the country ".'■' wanted a mor'p perfcct system of arbitration ■; ■ and conciliation. The law required amonding' and improving. , If they -were to havo no system,of conciliation f and arbitration in New '< Zealand fortho wgrkers and employers; then, . . instead 'of saying, '' We have a system to >~ . settle a difficulty between emplpyer and employee," let them say that, though'they be*' - 'lieved-the-law-to.be a good ouo, they shouldi , repeal it and havo done with it. The sooner that tho people discussed tho matter with' their representatives and among themselves, tho sooner would the'eountry arrive at an improved system'of arbitration and conciliation, or decide to do away with it altogether. They . , couid. not .havo-a law on" the Statute Book ta • ; provont strikes', and.side;by;.'side,with,it have, strikes going on, notwithstanding tho law. STATE WILL NOT INTERFERE. ' In. the present trouble on the West Coast, the Govornnient had not interfered sinco tho • decision of the Arbitration Court, and did no* intend to interfere. > The. subject was onv ■ . . that, should .not .bp used -by any section, of- ■:■■■•. the community for political reasons, and tho. • Government did not want to get support by footballing a matter, that was of the deepest concern to the riien'and women of the country. The Government was prepared-to improve tho system of arbitration and •' tion, though so long as tho law- stood as it, ■was at- present •it must be obeyed; and if:' ;; oitlier side disrespected it, no one need step in and ask the Government to help. Tha Government would not do it,• beca'uso.:it would be a dishonourable thing to do. Tho meeting, without dissent, carried a motion of thanks and confidence in tho Govern* • ment. . ■ ; . ' .i...■ ■ .'■.. MR. MILLAR ON HIS DICNITY. ■'■ A DISAPPOINTED ADVOCATE. Mr. Pritcliard, one : of, tho'representatives of the Blackball miners who have been - touring tho Dominion to enlist sympathy in thoir behalf, suffered a disappointment | in Wellington last week. ; The Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Labour) was informed that; Mr. Pritcliard wishes to hold a consultation l , with him for the purpose'"of discussing a possible > basis of settlement of the stnko. !The Minister inquired whether • Mr. Pritchard 'held any official authority from the miners to treat ' witli him 'in the matter, and, on learning that ho was not authorised, , declinotl to moot Mr. Pritchard. at all. It; is understood that tho attitude taken ,up by Mr. Millar was that ho did not care' ■ to discus?'questions wi.Ui ; a person, acting ' in . a private capacity, who had niado tho ' derogatory remarks about him which Jlr< •Pritcliard made whoa in-tho South. • Mr. Pritchard left Wellington on' his re- ■ turn to on Saturday nifijit.