LABOUR TROUBLES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 197, 14 May 1908, Page 8

LABOUR TROUBLES.

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE. VIEWS OF THE-EMPLOYERS' - - FEDERATION. In conversation with a Dominion reportor yestorday," Mr, W. Pryor, referring to tho .-. settlement'of tho Blackball strike, said:—"Wo are pleased that .'the strike has ended, and that work'is to bo re-commenced in tho mines. Tho men have really got all they. asked for,, as tho flooding of tho Tyncsido mine, of course, compelled tho Blackball . ..Company to reopen ..theirs on almost.. any ■... terms,. and 1 as they oould arrange to work two shifts without tho necessity of asking any of their employes to work ton hours. Tho only,point of contention between;them was ' - thus removed as the Company had previously conooded the. half-hour's crib-time to them. Employers' Federation foels sure that" ;. had it not boon for tho opinion given by tho • Attorney-General, in regard to ' aiding. , and abetting, the Uriiohs would not havo voted funds so freely, in support. of tho strikers, T - and tho striko would havo concluded long ago." ■■ THE AIDINC AND ABETTING CLAUSES. -\At a meeting of tho-Advisory. Board of tho. Employers'. Federation, tho following letter, was received from .the Minister'for Labour:—. "I- have to acknowledge) receipt; of I your letter, of 4th'inst., expressing tho regret of employers of labour throughout tho Dominion''that'Government has not : soon its way to take-action against thoso Unions for aiding and abetting a strike, which havo passed resolutions of sympathy with'the Blackball strikors. or who nave/voted sums of money for the pur- . pose of assisting thoso.irien.' In reply to ' tho '-request' . contained in-'your letter • that- proceedings should immediately, bo instituted against thoso Unions, I may say that tho Government lias consulted ■the Crown Law Officers in regard to the position, and acting on their advice can-.nc-t seo its way clear to oomply' with' the request'" preferred' b&.your; Federation."-;';, : It was decided tp place tho wholo matter, of. institnting proceedings;;for, aiding . and abotting in'the hands of .Mr. C. P..Skerrctt, K.C., with instructions to take' immediate : proceedings against, some.- of the Unions which" are ■ aDeged to have committed tho offences specified. '

WANCANUI STRIKES. Tho question of the Wanganui strikes was also considered. - A resolution .was received from, the Wangamii Employers' Association stating ,that after due inquiry v ,it had been found that two strikes had actually .take place, and that tho' Federation, .'was requested to 1 make strong representations to tho Labour ■•De-partment-in connection with'tho matter. ,It' was decided to forward tho . following letter to the Chief Inspector of the-Labour Department/ - ; .-. "Referring : to' oiir. conversations i n re-, . gard'to the recent trouble at tho Wanganui 1' reezing .' Company's works, .1; am ;; instructed by the,' Advisory Board tci ! inform you that, inquiry has ...been made J at the request, of "' the Wanganui. Employers' Association, and the fret was established '. two .actually took place, at tho works—one, the. fell-/ mongers''.'strike , on' February 22,' and ■ the other by the chambermen four days, ' later. . The Secretary; of the Company • v also says: 'I now, wish to say emphatically that, these men.: actually ceased work during working hours, and abso- ! j lutely refused to. start again until we promised to pay the wages demanded, which we did under protest, and because we' should.', otherwise havo had to ; : stop'work, in our factory.' In view of''.'' . theso' statements;' tho Board requests that: tho "fullest inquiries bo mado into the' matter, and if the. facts are' substah' ; tiated, action should be taken, so that - the . principle may 'bo established: that. - when parties work under awards of the ■ Arbitration Court the conditions' must . bo loyally observed by both parties, and if. grievances exist-they should be -re- ' dressed in a legal way, and not in the arbitrary manner alleged to " have "xlopted in the present instance. "Yours, etc., - >" <Sr -„ • "W. I'RYpR, Secretary. Employers' Federation." Mr. Pryor informed a 'representative* of iiiE Domini on-.that'the Chief-"lnspector of tho Laboui'Department, Mr.' J. Lomas, advised him that the fullest l inquiry would bp mado into I .the-matter, and'oarly intima-tion-will baigiven as to'the'action the Department " ; propcses to'take.. (CT-TELEGEAPH.—SPECIAL' CORRESPONDENT.) Ci-eyßiOuth, May 13. : All is m readiness, at Blackball for a <tart to-morrow morning., Operations will'be' m. full swing by . next week, when fully 200 ITiGn will be employed. y ti/H con ®l Tls i { "i of the'proceedings at the B.ackball "Union yesterday,''it ..was luiani-. mou.sly resolved "that this Union appreciate tho.', fair manner : in which: the' 'Greymouth Evening Star 1 treated us during tho trouble, which' we rccognisoi was-.m.' marked. contrast to the attitude tof -tho .general Press of tho colony." • '. .. ' . The citizens of Greymouth intend erecting a. memorial to. tho 'lato "Mayor, Mr. • Joseph Petrio, who .wag a .prominent' figuro" in l public life hero, for 34 years;: