BLACKBALL NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 17 January 1928, Page 7

BLACKBALL NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) BLACKBALL, January IG. A bush fire which raged near the Blackball Mine on Sunday seriously threatened the binns, machine shops and engine house. The binns actually caught fire two or three times, but a willing squad of fire-fighters, luckily for the township, were able to ward off the flames. A dispute in which the deputies are involved exists at the Roa Mine. The Deputies’ Union have withdrawn their members, and the mine manager and underviewer are carrying out the requirements of the Coal Mines Act. The Miners’ Union at a special meeting decided that none of its members should act as deputies or perform any of their duties. Owing to a shortage of places, four pairs of miners cavilled out at Roa; this leaves seven pairs. It is expected that the surplus miners will be utilised as shiftmen and truckers. The Roa Union decided by a major-i ity not to affiliate with any political party. The usual quarterly cavil saw 72 pairs of miners go into the Barrel. It is hardly necessary to state that the draw will not result in anything ( startling in the way of pays. The Blackball Miners’ Union held a special stop-work meeting on Thursday last to deal with a question of shortening hands on the surface. The management’s suggestion was that the experienced miners on the surface be cavilled into existing vacancies on the coal. The upshot was a lively meeting and some strenuous debating, with motions, amendments and further amendments flying thick and fast. The division list saw the management’s suggestion adopted in a somewhat modified form. A rather sparsely attended meeting of ratepayers met on Sunday morning to discuss the water question at Blackball. The annual picnic takes place at Hokitika on Friday next. All arrangements have been made and the committee in charge expressed the opinion that everything points to a successful outing. A Blackball resident found a 2oz nugget in the Moomight district during the holidays. The Blackball Soccer plub believe in getting in early, and have already held a preliminary meeting. Mr and Mrs N. Gibson and family, and Mr and Mrs Robertson, of Hikurangi, who have been holidaying in Blackball, left for home on Monday. The last two pays drawn by the majority of Blackball workers have ] hardly been worth collecting. It goes without saying that the spending capacity of the picnickers to Hokitika will be somewhat restricted. Messrs W. Fry and J. Southern, of Blackball, leave on Tuesday for Canada, via Australia. It is claimed that the Dvorkovitz system of coal carbonisation will revolutionise the coal mining industry. Profits are already estimated at 7/per ton. If the miners’ share of the weath he helps to produce remains as at present, the coal owners of the world will be on a good wicket.