REWANUI NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 April 1918, Page 3

REWANUI NOTES.

lOox own Correspondent.] WORK RESUMED. By the time these notes are read work will have been resumed in the mines, which in itself will be as good news to the Greymouth peopel as it was to miners up here, when the trouble was ed and we decided to go back to work. I daresay about 400 men will be, on the premises at the starting- of operations. Others will come along in due course as they leave their different jobs up country. The Railway Department found employment for fifteen or sixteen cleaning- the van'-, ous cuttings on the GreyRewanui line. The various mine deputies and other officials—through a strong rumour that work was likely to be resumed, got to business early in the we,ek to get their mines in working condition so that the output* can be maintained from the start. The mine horses were gathered up on Saturday morning. I have always noticed in different mines ■ 1 have worked in that when pit horses are being* rounded up for , work, and put in their own stable , again, after a protracted holiday, they generally seem as eaorer for work as the miners themselves by the antics they display. OUR LEADERS. To begin with ,this scribe has not been influenced one way or the other or in any form whatever in what I am going to say. Our leaders, in my opinion, have worked very hard, and scientifically. They have worked into the . early hours of the morning. They have tramped over these hills in the middle of the nights in extraordinary darkness and in heavy rainfall, to try and solve, this unusual and very difficult problem. I won't mention any names in particular, for' every member of the Coal Miners' Federation Executive, who has been in this district thi slast week, has done his be,st and utmost, also put all his time in for the purpose, and in my opinion deserve a lot of luck for the very efficient and diplomatic methods they adopted to end this trouble. In my different trips to town I have, generally got into conversation with some of Greymouth's prominent men- The subject turns at times to our industry, our leaders, and their abilities, also their aims and ideas, the tactics they adopt at times, and other characteristics they happen to have at the time. Sometimes the arguments have not ended in favour of our leaders. This scribe has not been in accord with them on ways and means at times, but after personal interviews with them which does not occur often, I generally find honesty of purpose in all their words and actions, and T. also find a full explanation is given to any injuiry that I or any other person may make.

To my Greymonth friends 1 must say that after a thorough examination, I find these men have the industry at heart, also the welfare of the workers and also those engaged directly and indirectly in the industry, and I ask those who have been opposed to them to get into personal touch with them and give them a fail' hearing, for you will find them gentlemen. DIGNITY. From various comments that I have heard expressed amongst the rank and file of the miners, one subject seems to trouble the toiler more or less, that is what we term the loss of dignity. It does seem to me we have lost a certain amount of this valuable asset. * Anyhow, there is no need to ge,t down-hearted. The miner put up a good fight to combat this new evil that is entering the ranks of the worker, but all the same it. is unpleasantly significant. This toiler who has had no sympathy with this small body of men who have been the cause of this trouble is of the opinion the blow will rebound very severely and scientifically in the near future, especially so when in the coiirse of a few weeks the miners

through their leaders get this increase of bonus or wages—whichever form it will take. These same individuals who have thrown the mines idle for a month will not refuse their pay envelope, because there is an increase of wages in the inside, battled for chiefly by their leaders. These same individuals who have refused to assist their co-workers in I Australia, who have been in sore straits, chiefly through battling for the privileges that they may possess in time, also in refusing to levy themeslves to a small amount out of their wages to help poor women and children to get the bare necessaries to "keep body and soul- together. No, these are the men that will not refuse, their pay envelope, but will accept it with alacrity, also a very cheerful briskness that will be a study to behold. This, in my opinion, will be the blow that will tellThe miner, as a rule, is a very sensitive individual. What with the risks attached to his calling, the privileges he has had to fight for and suffer, the endurance he has to contend with by the nature of his work, and other incidental matters, all this makes him proud of the position he now holds in society, and certainly he, in my opinion, is entitled to stand on his dignity, and the voire of the community will- sav we have not lost any of "Our Dig." OUR MEMBER. A great deal of discussion is taking place, and a vast amount of interest is being displayed just now up here, as regards tlie representation of the mining industry in the Houses This electorate is chiefly mining, or the industries that are, dependent on mining, and in the near future, when the boundaries are extended according to the recommendations of the Electoral Boundaries Commissioners, it' will be absolutely and wholly a mining constituency. We as miners really think we are entitled to some better treatment than we are receiving. Our indus"try is essential, our industrial conditions are everlastingly changing, our political opinions in most instances must change with the times. The vexed question of the cost of living, with the inevitable increase of wages, demands somebody to look after our interests and express..our views. Our leaders don't seem to express any definite views on the subject. The Government says our member can't sit' in the House while lie, is in gaol. The mining* industry—all branches—is acknowledged by all to be the second in importance to the primary industry, viz., agriculture, and yet we stand without a representative in Parliament at the, present time. So something must be done, and be done at once. 02s T THE HILL. As usual things have been very quiet. Mr Chappie gave his promised lecture last Thursday which was well received, discussion taking place afterwards. Messrs P. O'Rourke and O'Brien came up with the reverend gentleman and broke the monotony by giving some details of the struggle. On Friday night Messrs J. Arbuckle and J. Connolly came up and explained matters fully, and got a very attentive hearing, and also a vote of thanks was handed out to them, which this toiler endorses for the very lucid, simple, and painstaking manner they explained the, position, and advice they gave.

This meeting also spoke sympathetically of the Paparoa miners, who in our opinion are fighting a big battle, and from what I conld gather the sympathy that will be extended to them, in case of need, will be practical from the top of this hill anyway.