BLACKBALL NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 12 July 1922, Page 8

BLACKBALL NOTES.

(Our Own Correspondent). Messrs Kells, Brom i low. McDonald, and Pendleton, acting as a deputation ou behalf of Blackball ratepayers, waited upon the Grey County Council and placed the views of the community before that body anent a water supply for Blackball. From all accounts the deputationists stated the position pretty clearly, and it is quite probable that a vote of ratepayers will be taken shortly for a definite expression as to the will of the people. The chairman of the council spoke a lot of truth when he stated that the people had only themselves to blame, as they voted down a water supply proposal some years ago. Well, it is to be hoped that on this occasion, when the vote is taken, that no such mistake will be made, and that an overwhelming majority will cast in favour of a supply of pure water. Our fellow workers at Runanga seem to be involved in an unfortunate dispute. Comment on our part would bo superfluous, but one thing stands out very prominently, and that is, the attitude of the Mines Department. One would go a long way to discover an ultimatum of the nature contained in the letter to the employees. It was a tactjess epistle, and to it can be laid the blame for what undoubtedly const it ut-es a lock-out. That low’ wage advocate the “Star," in a leader the other day, deplored the tendency of modern times to substitute the bullet and the bomb for constitutional methods as a means 'of securing redress for real or imaginary grievances. This scribe has a vivid recollection of the silence maintained by the “Star" and other capitalist papers when the constitutionally elected Finnish Socialist Government was dissolved by the brutal White Guards under Mannerheim, who, by the way, was a German, and although the war was on, he was actively assisted by the Allies in his work of butchering 4.0,000 Finnish Socialists and Communists, including numberless women and children, for no other reason than the ono of constitutionally electing to power a Socialist and Communist government. Blackball had a very strenuous week end in the sport line. On Saturday last our hockey girls, who are hot foot after the Brooks’ Cup, played Cronadun, who were unable to extend the homesters, the Blackball team running out Comfortable winners by four goals to nil. In the evening the visitors were entertained to an enjoyable social ami dance in the Oddfellows’ Hall. Blackball Juniors and Roa met in a junior competition game on Saturday, a keen struggle for supremacy re.su I* • ing in a draw, each side scoring lour

points. On Sunday two League games were played. Blackball thirds playing K•• hinoor thirds, and Blackball and Run anga seniors trying conclusions. The Blackball thirds treated the spectators to a fine exhibition of League as it should be played, and overran their opponents to the tune of 21 points to 3. The senior game resulted in a victory, and a somqwhat lucky one at that, for Runanga, who scored 3 points to Blackball’s two. The closing 15 minutes of this game worked up some of the spectators to a great pitch of excitement, noticeably when the home team apparently crossed the line twice for a score. The referee, however, thought differently, with the result that he isn’t exactly what ono would call popular with the League supporter of this wild and woolly city. The Blackball entrants for next Saturday’s boxing tournament at. Grey are all going well ,and will not disgrace themselves. Bon Biddulph has started training in earnest for his bout with Carr of Millerton, on the 29th. Benny will just about trim the pride of the Buller coal village. Soccer games for next week-end are Blackball v. Greymouth on the Rec.; and Moonlight v. Runanga at Blackball. Moonlight will probably open their winning account in this game, as they are in a false position in the League table. Bond will also strengx then the Moonlight team considerably. The services of an independent umpire were requisitioned to settle a wet time dispute at the Blackball mine. Henry Dubb got the judge’s verdict by a short head. Mr and Mrs Ben Jolly and family left for Australia last week with tee intention of making Kangaroo land their future home. Prior to leaving. Ben was the recipient of a fine quality travelling rug from the Moonlight Road Cricket Club. The cost of living continues to soar upwards. Henry’s w’ages have ade cided downward tendency. The boss s Arbitration Court continues to make pronouncements, and the exploiters continue to smile. Verily “God’s own stands 100 per cent at Lloyds. Wage-slaves galore continue to visit Blackball in search of the elusive job. Most of them get the answer, “Nothing doing!" We as a class produc so conscientiously that the mines and factories have to close down or restrict the working -week until the surpluses are disposed of. Sure it’s a great system is the capitalist system of production for profit, and no humans it sheeted home to themselves more convincingly than the unfortunate members of the Dubb class who constitute the unemployed.