NEWCASTLE STRIKE. .

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 3, 5 January 1910, Page 6

NEWCASTLE STRIKE.

THE CONSPIRACY CHARGE.

NEWCASTLE, Dec. 21. ".-fPr.', Adrian^.D.S.M., resumed, the jfemring -of the charge ; x>f conspiracy Against Peter *©owlirig. Win: Brennan, Albert Burns, Amram Lewis, and Andrew Gray, at the Newcastle Police Court to-day: ' ' '

Alexander Reid Cant, secretary of the Hunter .River District Colierly Proprietors' Defence Asociation, produced a list containing the names of members of the association, their collieries, and the principal executive officers. The association was not registered in any way, and was formed to deal with industrial matters—in fact,/ everything of common ' interest to the proprietors. The Burwood Extended and Young Wallsend collieries, in the Newcastle district; and the Ebbw Main colliery, in the Maitland district, were the only ones not in the association.

Mr Gannan: When the Industrial Disputes Act was introduced in 1908, did your association have any oonferenco with the leaders of the union?— Yes, several.

Were they not for the purpose of getting them to register like yourselves?—l suppose they were. ' Were they -not for the purpose of avoiding the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act by both parties?— I don't think so.

Did you not- want to make a compact with the miners to deal with you as one party?— We1 always wanted to deal with them.

Were they not for the purpose of getting right outside the scope of the Act?—l think not.

Answering. Mr Braye, witness said there were applications made by surface hands and others for the appointment of boards under the Act. The association had fought the application for a particular reason! Mr Braye: Did you not go further, and get prohibitions?— Yes.

And since then have you not opposed these boards?— Yes; consistently- We have not.fought against the1 Act, % but against the constitution of sectional boards. -J{W&, were: threaten-

:iafc one; time %ithVno less 'than 12 cwkards: ; 'We." are asking the Court to giyiß-us't one board to deal with the whole industry. That was the position we were trying to arrive at, and we are still .waiting for it. Mr Lamb objected to the line of cross-examination, as it did not affect the case. It was not being gone into for this case, -he contended, but for some other purpose, and it was not relevant. ' ' " '

Mr Braye said he wanted to show that_ the people who were virtually moving the Crown in the case were conspirators also to defeat the law themselves.

Mr Adrian did not think the ex-

amination was relevant, but he had no desire to suppress anything, and so allowed Mr Braye to continue. Mr Braye: Why are Young Wallsond and Ebbw Main collieries not members of the association ?—They nu>de no application. t Are you prepared to swear that they did not?— Wait till I think, you should not worry. (Laughter.) Yes, I think there was an application. _How many members of the association are members of the vend?— What do you call the vend? (Laughter.) 'sWelly- they are all members with the exception of Wallsend and Ellermore Yale. . :. ' '■ ■■ ■

Theri there is a distinction between the "association" and the "vend"? Mr Lamb: Is there not litigation pending in connection with this association and the Federal Government? —Yes. , ■ .. Mr Braye: Oh! That being so I will ■ttot.. ask any more questions. A number of lodge' secretaries were examined to show that the miners cdased work after November 6. None of them had minutes of the Adams-

town mass meeting. Constable Gwan gave evidence regarding a meeting .at- Greta on December 11. A motion was carried protesting against the leaders. Bowling made a long speech, in which he said that the arrests had been made tor'the purpose of causing a riot and. turning public feeling against the . anfners. He had committed no crime, : had done nothings that hs would. *iot>-ao again. ; f ■ ,fn answer t^/Mr". Gannon, witness said thatßowling did not say "All I ■have done the law allows me to." He said, "Stick to your leaders." Mr Gannon: Yes, but Mr Hughes was the top-not<?h leader then; you know that?^Yesf but Mr Hughes and Mr .Bowling do not agree. (Laughter.) Mr Gannon': So I heard somebody say in the street the other night. (Laughter.) . ; •Griffith Francis Thomas, manager ot-the Burwood Extended colliery informed Mr Gannon that on one occasion when a strike threatened Mr Jirennan had induced the men to res'll^ 0 work- The mine had worked for 27 weeks this year. It only worked when1 there was a call, and sometimes they were not too -frequent. James Barnes, manager of Heddonbreta colliery., said Tie saw Bowling and some others ori October 30 regarding the wages;of shiftmen, but witness informed the .deputation that he could not alter : the existing conditions. «pwling replied, "Take, this to your directors, and."the secretary will-later on give you, a list! of the- wages paid to nrsc and secon S class shiftmen and labourers at Stanford Merthyr collieries, arid unless these wages are up *ere on Friday next, trouble will

Gem-ge Taylor miner, engaged at the .Rosedale colliery, said he saw Wis addressing a -meeting on the mornmg;.of-November 10. Lewis askea unionists and non-unionists to make common cause and down tools. T-hey did not want an ounce of coal taken out from anywhere. Some of the men decided to go to work next day. Lewis met witness at the pit top and asked him was he going to work, and upon receiving a reply in the affirmative., exclaimed, "And you a man from the district! What sort ■of a man are you? You are a marked man." Witness replied, "The mark wont hurt me," and went into the ttfnnel. He saw Lewis speaking to •others. v °

_ jMr Gannon: Did you; Mot cease to "fceeome a unionist by reason of failIng to comply With the laws?— No. •Were you unfinancial when you left the union ?—I was not, nor was I told so.

Were not the men out of the minewhen Lewis arrived at Rosedale?

Did, the'manager induce you to return to work?— Yes; he guaranteed us ten days a fortnight, and a rise of 3d a skip.

< Mr Bra ye: flow was it you did notgot your clearance from the union?— .Because :T went into a non-union pit. 'Mr Bavin: Did unionist and "non-