BLACKBALL NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 21 July 1922, Page 7

BLACKBALL NOTES.

(Our Own Correspondent.) The next move with reference to the disputed coal lease at Blackball is awaited with curiosity. The general opinion seems to be that it would benefit the township if a new company were to start operations. To the wageslave, with nothing but his labour power to sell, it does not cut much ice which ■way it goes. The rates for hewing will remain the same. It is also rumoured that a new dredge, is to commence looking for dividends in the vicinity. Hokitika and Greymouth will have to look to their laurels, otherwise this burg will become the boom city of the West Coast. As announced in these columns some time ago, the Blackball Co-op. has gone into liquidation. The present manager has battled hard against great odds. The fact of the matter is that the show was badly punctured when he took control, and it’s a pretty hard job to land a sinking ship to port. A little competition goes on here now on pay week-ends between rival Grey glad rug merchants. Consequently, a great exposure is being made of the exorbitant prices that have been charged for the past few years. Professor Goode’s forthcoming lecture in Blackball on Russia is being looked forward to with lively interest. Everyone should grasp the opportunity of getting first-hand information from one who has been there. Dates will be announced later. The various Blackball Rugby League, Soccer and Hockey teams were again to the fore last week-end. Our welltrained Amazons who wield the hockey sticks visited Hokitika, per motor-lorry and vanquished the pride of Hokitikaby two goals to one. A social and dance was also participated in, the return journey to Blackball being made on Sunday. The Camera King and Jimmy report a good trip. Geordie Nuttall took his fourth graders to Grey, full of confidence that his boys would put it over “Bull” Howard’s combination. In spite of Geordie’s barracking, his team lost by one point. George is full of confidence , that, after the return fixture, there, will be a different tale to tell. The juniors put it all over Kohinoor juniors by a score of 33 to nil. The Blackball backs gave a pleasing exhibition of swift running and passing. I The Blackball third grade won the cup, after a hard tussle, in which they | practically pulled the game out of the j fire in the closing minutes. > The Soccer Club managed to maintain. iWfwieir unbeaten record, and beat a strong i combination fairly comfortably. I Moonlight Soccer Club are evidently pursued by a Jonah. Owing to injuries ' and unavoidable absentees, tl#*ir te: ni . was considerably weakened. In addi- j tion the luck of the game seemed ! against them, Runanga getting two points by a safe margin. Football this week-end will be: Blackball seniors v. Kohinoors; Blackball juniors v. Runanga. As predicted in these columns, our amature pugs gave a good account of themselves. Although Robbo’s defeat camo somewhat as a surprise. Bobbo is anxious to meet his conqueror in a six-round special, and thinks he can reverse the decision. The American wage-slaves are evidently experiencing all the favours of democracy. The mailed fist of Capitalism, which rules the land of the brave and the free, is showing its hand in no uncertain manner. The proletarians, however, are putting up an inspiring resistance, and, if they go down to temporary defeat, it will be with their colours nailed to the mast. The workers of Russia, America and Routh Africa along with the Republicans of Ireland, aro proving foemen 1 worthy of their steel and arc displaying a spirit that bodes ill for the Capitalist exploiter when accounts come to bo finally settled. We notice that a debate is to take ‘ pla<M? shortly between West Coast debating clubs as to whether the Arbitration Court functions in the interests of the worker. No debate required, friends! Ask Jimmy McCullough; who acted as workers’ representative for 17 years, and then resigned, disgusted, and convinced that the Court was a one-eyed institution, whose chief function was to discover how little the workers could exist on. Even “SquareDeal’ ’ Bill Massey has admitted during the present session that wage cuts, as

handed out bv Judge Fraser and Co., were not justified. A little industrial unrest has arisen at the neighbouring village of Roa. As to the facts your correspondent knows nothing. That is a question between the Union and the management. We understand in one case, some individual who was not a member of the Miners’ Union actually tipped off to the boss one wage-slave with a grievance as an undesirable agit: tor. “Workers of the world unite, and sell one another,” seems to be this fellow’s slogan. According to one of the old country miners’ reps., who has had a yarn with King George, His Most Gracious Majesty was much concerned at. the horrible housing conditions of the miners. King George may be quite sincere in what he says, but what about it ? He admits he has no eay anyhow. When the Old Country workers want decent houses and are determined to have them, they will probably come close to getting them.