BLACKBALL NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 29 May 1922, Page 7

BLACKBALL NOTES.

(Our Own Correspondent.) •^ ,r ’r a I"! of agitation, Coal I ( ‘-nipany have managed to place a cuni ]»■"• of water tanks al 1 heir huts. These i snicks have bc< n a groai source ol j iCMuiue, and must have paid fur them i selves four f'd'i: in addition a >imilai . class ol hut in other minii)g villages is ibU per eent cheaper in r<’iii, an.l, geni orally speaking, have far better lac- ■ ilities in the shape of water and light. | At a mooting of the Minors’ I nion held i'll Sunday lust, it was decided tc , demand tree light and lamps for under--ground workers! As «i result of tin’ recent so called wngo-riil (in reality it was a deliberate theft ■, wo workers . consider the additional profits waich I will now flow into (lie coffers oi’ the : coal kings can easily stand the above j little demand. As fur as argument is • concerned, it is hardly possible for (In coal miners to advance one. Anv equipj meat that underground woi’iuts have i t‘> u>e in following their occupation of I producing - should be provided tor free Press reports state that the miners { ar-- dissatisfied with conditions. and are | asking for a conference with the coal- • owners in order to effect improvements. I Whilst this may be quite alright and in • order, experience should have taught ! the miners that the only way io re sis! the cn lorcement of <'<>miit ions which have once been abolished is to question them on th.* job collectively. T’ake the W (‘t-timc* f'lause as an example, with its absurd one man wet-pir.cc proviso, ami the clause pi oxides for truckers ha\ ing to work the full shift ii . a wet phic? for a monetary eonsidera lion. This is a case in point that th< miners an I truckers, by acting collect iveiy in every mine, could easily re • sist. 'Fhen there is the short shifts ii pay .lays and at week ends. A display of collectivism on this issue would have I obtained the desired result. Now w( I find two or three unions have to battle I i.ioi.g' and ligh*. the issue on their ow n No wonder the coal kings smile, am iLirli; r plunder our pay envelopes. ’r'tiday last was pay day. and the re suit of the Arbitration Court’s pro notincing a cut in favour of I lie bosses was glaringly evident, and proved U the hilt what a brilliant and running I game the employers have pla.. <1 foi ’the past J S months. The general lu::d quarters stall’ of the Employers’ Fed eration is not imide up of weakling! of the .1. 11. Thomas type. Capitalism ha> many faults, jml it nas the instinctive virtue of choosing as its leaders niei whose miliiiii hing fidelity to their clas? and its interests is above suspicion. Tin leaders of capitalism, when it suits theii purpose, can press class struggle during a strike to liie point of civil war. I n der various guides they organise whit, guards and arm them for eh'ods of vio lence. During a war they prepari'd t< use any military crisis to nold up supplies in order to squeeze the uttermost farthing out of a government which deported workers for demanding in j creased wages. To meet such people ’ requires something a little heavi--*-I rhetoric. When the leaders of capital- | ism found that the unions were manired by some people who were afraid to lead a light, then ’hey launched their attack. Union alter union has been smashed down to its knees. What else but rout can be expected? Deeds, not gab, is the test of serving the working class, and until we as a class are prepared to collemiveiv demand the abolition of production for profit and get our demand pu’ into effect, just so long are we going to remain in our present slave position in capitalist society. •Professor- Shelley gave a lecture in Blackball on Thursday to a very small but « • audience, who gave him a good hearing and a hearty vote of thanks. Blackball juniors continued on their victorious way by defeating Brunner. The learn that defeats Blackball will have to leave nothing to enance. This scribe has had the pleasure oi reading a circular distributed amongst members of the exploiting class, calling them to a conference in order that a (get this)! temporary” reduction in the price of commodities can be arranged, so that the wage cut campaign (■at/bc prosecuted with vigour. This is the bosses’ method —ours seems to bo ‘‘lay down and take it.’’ It may not be generally known that those friends of the working (lass. Judge Fraser and Messrs Scott and Reardon, in giving their judgment re the recent wage cut, stated that they figured that the average New Zealandfamily of four persons (you are not supposed to have any more than two children) can live on a food expenditure of £l/8/4 per week. This of course is cheaper than inmates of the o< men's home or convict settlement can be kept. Evidently those that do the useful woik in society are expected to follow the example of a frog and live on suction. Blackball and Greymoutli met in a Soccer game on the 21st. an even game resulting. Blackball L Greymouth nib The high price of explosives is one of ’he features of the Arbitration Award for Miners. The Court's logic was “wages go down, explosives go u „” The Nobel combine seems too Strong for the Employers’ Federation and the Arbitration Court’s statistics It is to be hoped that before our award is next reviewed, that some concrete definite steps will be taken to airest any more wages reductions or increase •explosive, charges. Arrangements have been made to adjust the holiday arising out of George

Windsor’s lirtlulay. Something more suitable has been agreed upon. Mr Sam Pendleton, who has been acting as minc-wanager during Air Neilson’s enforced absence, has had a nervous breakdown and has been ordered away for a change and rest.