BLACKBALL TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 173, 15 April 1908, Page 7

BLACKBALL TROUBLE.

, THE QUESTION OF CRIB TIME. ' > " TELEGRAM FROM CHAIRMAN - OF DIRECTORS. 1, , ' (BY TELEGRAM.—SPECIAL COKBESPONOENT.) : vOreyraoutftJ' April 14. It transpires that-originally motions stood onthe , books .of<-thq,-Blackball Union to i Rccept. twenty .minutes' crib';,time for .-the ■ eight hours shift'and half ah ho<ir fpr tho ten , hours '.shift. • \\Vheh: the' Company- -iiiti-' matcd '■ its .willingness -to "favourably consider half an hour' erib' time ,'after the men . had resumed . work,- 'tho, Union . demanded thirty minutesfor both .shifts. ' , . . .. At SaturdayV meeting, of; the. Union, Mr.' Guinness (acting for Mr.'G. G:'Stead, Chairpan telegraphed as follows:—' ' '' " The mine will remain- closed' until' . tho men-resume work on.tho basis of' twenty minutes' crib: work is." resumed T the 'management' will favour- ' . . , ' ably considor-any :roasonable'i proposal;" The. decision ' of * the' Union oil the matter 6as not. been disclosed., STATEMENT BY THE HON. J. M'COWAN. :■ THE FINE MUST'BE PAID. - ;.V; (BY' TELEGRAPH—PRESS /ASSOCIATION.) •- . 1 Auckland, April 14. Referring to tho recent.developments of.the' Blackball .miners'; dispute,; the,. Minister ' for Mines (the Hon. J. M'Gowan) this morning informed avPress-representative, that' the law must be carried out. The •men 'may julopt a oertaiii stand land-.believe they are within their. rights,-Mr. M'Gowan said, "but tho ' fine must:bo paid. Of that-there is no.possible; question of a doubt. It is at present impossible-to what the developments of tho. futee will b0 v but the be paxa- : . mount, and -must, bo, carried .out. No -GoyeTnmOTt qan. passively, stand by. and 6©e : tlio law defied. The public are apt to be'hasty and clamour for an "immediate settlement of a .rather, oomplest situation; .This is not a , matter, -howoyer,., which can: be rushed through. It may bo taken for.granted that -' the Government will, do what is right in the •:.'U^^;.case,i'knd,'-tbe;fiißt; thing is to col- ' money. ■ ; What is more, there is no doubt that tho Government will do it " • ■ 'INTERVIEW WITH MR. C. G. STEAD. ■ . (liY TBLEQItAPII—PIIESS ASSOCIATION.) - ■ „ „ " - Christchureh, April 14. , Mr - k; Pntchard had an interview today., with Mr.. Geo. G. Stead which lasted , They discussed the position ' at Blwikoallj but as.Mr. 3?ritchard was not ■ omcially authorised to commit the Union to '' any. arrangement,.', tho. conversation wa3 merely general. . ' • . ; - MINERS TO BE PROCEEDED AGAINST. Tho Crown,' having failed to obtain tho payment of -tho fine, imposed by the.'- Arbitration Court on '.tho Blackball Minors' .Union' on , April 7, instruc-tions-were issued to the. Crown Prosecutor at Greymouth to tako proceedings against the individual ''members of the Union. The Minister for Labour stated yesterday that ' this course is being followed as' speedily as , possible. Summonses aro being' issued ' but there are a - large number of men concerned, the.proecss has involved time. Tho matter (Was dealt with under the re-gular-Magistrate's Court procedure, and tho law would be carried out.