BLACKBALL NOTES

Grey River Argus, 28 August 1928, Page 8

BLACKBALL NOTES

(Opp Own Correspondent i MINERS’ UNION MEETING. BLACKBALL August 27. A mass meeting of the members of the Miners’ Union was held un Sunday last, to hear a report upon the Executive’s deliberations with the Coal Company’s Directorate relative to the dismissing of 170 men and placing the mine on single shift, a proceeding which the Company claimed was imperative in order to put the mine on a paying basis. The President and Secretary of the Union outlined the discussions that took place, and gave it as their opinion that the proposal which would create least hardship was the one that provided for the employing of the married men and other men with responsibilities, with a further preference for local residents who have spent all their lives in Blackball, and also provided that an effort be made to support the unemployed single men until such rime as suitable employment, clear of “scab” relief rates, could be secured A motion to the above effect was then moved followed by an amendment as follows: “That we adhere to the decision to share the work, irrespective of the consequences.” A discussion ensued as t 0 whether I lie- voting on the mot ion and amendment. should take place in the hall or by ballot paper, and t his question was put to the vote, it. being decided, by 147 votes to 121, to take a ballot on Tuesday, August 28th, at the Miners’ Hall, the hours of voting being from 10 t 0 12 a.m. and from 1 to 6 p.m. In view of the importance of the ballot, a heavy vote is likely to be polled. The writer would like to see proposal No. One carried., believing it would prove easily the best . solution of the difficulty in which the members find themselves. If. on the other hand, a majority say they are prepared to contest the issue, and make it a trial of strength, the onus will be on the membership, and the Executive will have to carry on a “scrap” to the best of their ability. GENERAL. Blackball will soon be known as pamphlet to\vn. There is no doubt that the Communist Party have their literary staff and printing press working at high pressure thes e days. Evidently some people think that Blackball will be the starting point of a world revolution, and that the futur? Lonins are already on the ground floor. One can say with emphasis that the pamphleteers have about as much punch when it comes to fight as a dead mosquito. We have seen these birds under fire before, and they wilt and wither like a young tomato plant on a frosty ngiht. I suppose If we were engaged in an industrial sciap tomorrow all wo would get from these gentry would be a pamphlet- for breakfast. a bowl of “skilly” for dinner

and another pamphlet for tea. Nothing is right with the Blackball Union these days, according to th e pamphleteers, but they were not above utilising if to secure a job for them when all other avenues were closed. Of course, that is a different story! Messrs Bayne and Scoble, Chief Inspector of Mines and District Inspector respectively, were in Blackball on Thursday, and examined the I?ip Section and took several air samples. At th e commencement of Sunday’s Union meeting a vote of condolence with the relatives of the late Mr C. Simpson was passed in silence. It is understood that several contemplated weddings have been somewhat disarranged, consequent on the doubtful economic. situation at Blackball. You cannot beat getting married, boys, under adverse circumstances! The life of married wage-workers is one fairly constant struggle with adverse economic circumstances. So why worry about such a small item as a mine closing down? Dive on love! Seventy odd Blackballites visited ihg League test game, per the excursion. All report that the game made the trip worth while. A rather premature statement has been made in the press, that Roa is quite < fI O.K. ” from a Unionist standpoint. The Blackball Union have decided to state that this announcement did not emanate from this source. However, it is quite in order to relate that a preliminary conference has been held with the Roa party, and they are prepared to participate in th e conference betwixt the Co-op. miners and the Alliance of Labour, and to abide by its decisions.

We notice where a suggestion was made m Greymouth for a municipal doss house. Well there is more in the idea than at first meets the eye. Undo capitalism,, in “God’s Own Country.” the only place for a “down and cuter” is the “booby.” and there is always, of course, the big risk of thos° utilising th# “booby” as a doss house being branded ’u “vag” or an “incorrigible rogue,” etc. It is almost a moral certainty that N.Z. will soon have to provide its unemployed wageslaves with food and shelter, or work, under Union wages and conditions or the dole. There was no fool ball in Blackball tikis week-end, and enthusiasm seems 1.0 have ne::rly petered out. The people of Blackball will be pleased to note that the County Council have released the order to the Grey Power Board to light our town. We can sympathise With the Kumara people in having their brand-new school burnt down. Ir this had happened at Blackball, it might have mattered less to-day than it would have done formerly. Messrs Semple and Glover (representing Ihe Alliance of Haywar 1 and M(-Lagan (the United Mine Workers), and Baldorstone (West Coast Miners’ Council) were in conclave with (he Roa tribute party last Tuesday.