NGAKAWAU NOTES

Grey River Argus, 1 December 1920, Page 5

NGAKAWAU NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent.) ■ ) NGAKAWAU, Isoveniber 25. I There is no change to report here as far as the weather is concerned — rain, rain, and still more rain. We Uave one consolation and that is we are not tha only ones who are getting rain, J'or they are getting it over the Cantor* bury side as well, so I suppose it is no good growling, l'erhaps, if we got it now, we will have a spell of good weather for the Holidays, which are drawing near. I suppose it is about time we started to save up for Christmns, for if We rise continues, things will 1 be pretty high by that time. Well we have got our foot bridge finished at last with the exception of the painting, and it is reported that fvn invitation is to be sent to Bill Masscy to get him to come to the official openj ing. It will be a good chance while !ho is paying his visit to Westport. He . ! has stated that lie would come to f Westport before Christmas, (but I ha ' ma' doots). We will ~ptand a poor chance of getting him down here now that he has got another handicap by way of a decoration by King Albert of the Belgians. Ho will be sticking his chest out some now! U.0.D.0.D. L.C.D.B. He will want another carriage put on the special train to carry the decoration and another special baton carrier to look after it. A special meeting of the Ngakawau Miners' Union was held in McNarn's. Hall on Sunday, 2Sth. The President (Mr Mcßride) being in the chair. The meeting was called to receive and discuss a circular letter from J. Arbuckle (Secretary of the Miners' Federation) re the Broken Hill Levy,' also the Pukemiro dispute, and the drafting of .a new agreement to take the place of the one now in cxistancc which expires J.t j the end of February. Considerable discussion, arose concerning Mr Ari buckle's statement in the circular letI ter, also his statement as published r.i the "Maoriland Worker" of November 17th. The secretary was instructed to write and ask (further particulars re the £40,000 as printed in l!ic "Worker." The Pukemiro matter was held over till such time as the Union is notiiicd of the amount rcqum.il and the new agreement was sent aiony to the District Council, which, it is understood meets on Saturuay 4ili .u«.ccnibcr. fcieverar suggestions were s«ui along which if put in- will very miuuiially alter the agreement in the way of better conditions. A good dca-i of discussion arose out of the question of truckers and shift workers in wet places and the Interpretation oJ' the terms offered in. the present agreement, which to some are very vogue, oiid cause a good deal of difference of opinion. A deputation was appointed to " interview the management xc the. niotornien, also the snrfting of the pay office from No. 2 substation xo the top brake, which will bb more convenient J for the vast majority of the men. The Secretary was also instructed to notify all members in arrcaxs of contributions and levies! that they are requested square up at once oe action woutd Jc taken, also that no member bo allowed to be more than two pays behind. It is a pity that the members do not take more interest in the meetings and roll up in large force, but It is ever *f. Those who live close to the "Hall arc generally the ones wno are conspicuous by tthcir absence and those arc generally the ones to talk about what ought to bo done during the crib time or on the climb up the Hill, and if what is don,e does not meet with their approval, they screech like a wiuiie. Those arc the men that arc' paying into the bosses' hands by non attendance and giving the boss the chance to say it is not the rank and file wlio ask for these things, it is only the exicutive. Now, Comrades, play iho game and attend your meetings. Listen to the arguments, join in the discussions, give your opinions on all matters that need them, and affect you. .1 1 does not follow that you need 'ie an orator. I have often heard the remark passed. I wish I could speak like so and so, .£ would let you know. Well, so and so had to practice, so why not you? Let us see you ail ;-t tuc next meeting. Mr R. T. Watson, of Granity, is at present on a visit to Wellington on business in connection with the Charm ing Creek Coal. It is ; reported that there are several "blueys" kicking around these part, the result of a visit of Ihc man in blue from Westport last week end. A good deal of sickness still j •revails around these ports and the local medico is kept going pretty constant. The contractor, Mr A. Turnbull, is making good progress with tho erection of the bath houses at Stockton, but the weather conditions have been ug&inst out-of-door work, thereby .".ausinir a good deal of delay. Wall and Korris, the contractors for metalling. ]the Hector — Mokinhui ro;> d. are making fair progress and have .ilso been held back b ybad weather. Tiio people of these parEs are looTcing forward to next week end, when we are to be given the opportunity of hearing Mr H. E. Holland, Member for Bull or, who is billet* to giv-o an adrlvons on the work clone and the work not Hone in the talking shop during Ihe last sessiony .also to explain how th° Labour Party voter! am! fhpir 'r^np.m? for (loinc: so on all matters before Iho Houso.-'^V . The RpoTfs CVimTnitton Tiro rloincc jroofl work iii -got-ting prepar-orl for the

meeting to be held on January Ist J921 and hope to soon be able to have taeir progrenime before the public. Mr F. Grant, Millerton was the successful candidate in the recent Dailot for the Executive member for the Waller district. He gained a majority of 93 over Mr Phipps, of Ngaka,wau. No doubt the best man won. Go ahead Fergus! Let us sec what metal you are made of. __ MINERS' FEDERATION EXECUTIVE. The election of a representative to fill the vacancy on the Miners' Federation Executive for the Buller District, caused through the resignation of Comrade Tosland, resulted as follows: — Ist. count 2nd count. Grant, F. H., Millerton 237 125 O 'Loughjan, J., Dcnniston 201 Phipps, W. Ngakawau 205 64 Informal 3S TolaGrant, F.H 302 Phipps, W. ..'•• 26!1 Majority y ; F. H. Grant having received a ma jority of the votes cast, is declared duly elected. J. ARBUCKLE, Returning Ollicer. A Timaru press messabe states that the- exports of meat from that port during November totalled 243,550 carcases. It is expected the December shipments will be 106,000. There was a good attendance iust night at the usual vcekTy social of the Citizens Band at their hall. The suchrc tourney resulted in the prizes being won by Misses -Stokes (first) and Bishop (second), while the dancers spent a most enjoyable time under the direction of Mr R. Furness, M.C., with the excellent music provided by Mr T. Lim. The Band's Art TJnion will be drawn this evening, and the results published to-morrow. . A few weeks ago at the town ot Preston, in Lancashire, England, the story of a Glasgow man's sensational ride on the top of an express train was tpld. Whe.i "William Keillor (21), Scots Guards, stationed at Windsor, was fined £1 for travelling on the rai'way without paying Ins fare. The ev'idem-e sho.wotl thaitl ixo/JTer. after travelling from Euston to Preston (209 unit's). . aceidently touched the communication cord and was discovered Keiller said that he was oil a visit to bis wife. i Later cables dealing with the al ieged disastrous defeat oi' Labour ii) the British municipal elections eonsid arably modify original impressions. In London it seems Labour is "getting r lighter grip," haying elected fifteen mayors in 2S boroughs; 1 When Labou: can capture the majority of boroughs in the five-year-ago apparently hopeless Metropolis of World Capitalism; not many years . wi 11 elapse before ii will control the political life of Britain. Capitalism is thankful for .small mercies these days. Some time ago the Xew Plymouth Freezing Workers' Union passed a resolution condemning the action oi' Mr. G. M.1., in connection with 'the 'Council of Action telegrams Some members of the union, who were not at the meeting, took exception to this, and subsequently a notice of mo tion was moved to delete the resolution and expressing confidence in Mr. 8. G. Smith. This matter was dealt with as it should .have been at the last meeting of the union, when the notice of motion was negatived by 26 votes to 7 f and therefore the original resolution stands.

c mutely; fiiyr-