The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette. TUESDAY, MARCH 24: 1908. What's the Next Move?

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 592, 24 March 1908, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette. TUESDAY, MARCH 24 : 1908. What's the Next Move?

Woru is telegraphed, from Groymouth that, as n result of its further meeting, the Blackball Miners' Union has decided not to pay tho fine : amounting to £75 inflicted by the Arbitration Court upon three of its members. What is to be the next move in this game of defiance on the ; part of the minors towards' the law? ■ It sggihs to us that the miners have ; boon deliberately riding for a fall, ' under the impression, that they are mounted on a horso called Arbitration, and that they will, in the fall, : break its neck. But it does not seem to occur to the Union that, in carry- ' ing out this great jockeying act, itmay break its own neck. It is not to be denied that the Union, in its di-fiant attitude, has many supporters amongst the Unionist workers throughout the dominion ; but what is. the value of that sympathy in £s. d.? Wo don't think it amounts to much. Tho Union has sent out : several emissaries from Greymouth to j put its case before the people of New ; Zealand. One of them, whilst maki ing for Wellington, became weather bound. Another has managed to create some stir in Christchurch, where ho spoilt his case somewhat by blackguarding the newspapers. Nor did ho do his case any good by an attack upon tho Minister of Labour. Nothing hurts a prominent politician more than ridicule, and this tho emissary of tho miners managed to do pretty well, if not wisely. He said that the other day Mr Millar thusly concluded a telegram to the miners: "Men, do not forget that those powers who got you the splendid conditions under which you are working to-day may take them away again." The retort of the miners was: "Do not forget that the powers that put you in your present position can put you out again." Then, said the emissary, the Minister of Labour changed his tone, and asked to bo advised of all movements in connection with the strike, " so that I may judge if a settlement can be arrived at without putting the law in motion." The retort discourteous from Blackball was, " Put it* in' motion." And in view of such a possibility, and acting with their eyes wide open, the miners have decided not to pay the fine ! By this attitude they are alienating public sympathy, and the sentiment will so change that even if the men are sent to prison as a penalty for *non-pay-rneut the general opinion will be, " Serve them right." For the whole trouble, which turns upon 15 minutes difference in "crib time," could easily be settled without all the fuss and flummery in which the miners are wrapping their case. Will the Government tear off this foolish wrapping and act with such determination as will prove to all malcontent Unionists that there is a real power behind our Labour Law? That is the question — and that should be the next more.