THE GOAL STRIKE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9139, 11 February 1910, Page 2

THE GOAL STRIKE.

MORE GAOL FOR THE LfeADERS. EIGHTEEN""MONTHS CUMULATIVE. {Br Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Per Press Association.) SYDNEY, Feb. 10. On the conspiracy charges, Bowling, Brennan, Burns, Lewis, and Gray were found guilty and each sentenced to eighteen months. Bowling's is cumulative on the previous sentence of twelve months. The judge in summing up said it was no defence for accused to say tliey were m the service of the Miners' Federation, and, as servants, were carrying out the Federation's orders. Tlie jury recommended all the men to mercy on the ground of previous good characters. : ' * Each made statements claiming that they were innocent, as they were unaware that they were committing breaches of the law. Mr Peter Bowling declared that the law as it stood made the carrying out of the duties of an officer of a Union impossible and unsafe. Very few Unionists knew what the law meant. He did not, and if this was what was done in a free country, ho wished to go back to Siberia or some other country where they did not talk about freedom. Mr Brennan doubted if any men in the future would be willing to pay the price of maintaining the position of the working men in this country. Unionists would be like sheep without shepherds. Mr Burns declared that he had always advised against the acceptance of the Industrial Disputes Act, and would do so as long as he lived, because it was incapable of governing the work of miners. Mr Lewis said that if this was to be the end of men who interested themselves on behalf of Unions in this State the Unions would become secret societies. The Judge, in passing sentence, said that each of the accused knew he was breaking the law and did it deliberately. As to no one accepting office on a Union in future, all such men had to do was to obey the law and then they would be perfectly safe. He could not understand how accused could make the claim that in throwing out of employment man thousands of workers they were acting for the benefit of humanity. His Honor said he had taken the recommendation to mercy into consideration in awarding sentences. THE WAGES BOARD. SITTING AT~NEWCASTI,E. SYDNEY, Feb; 10. The sittings of the Newcastle Wages Board was continued. Mr Charlton, M.P., renewed the application for an adjournment till Wednesday, and stated that the miners' delegates had authorised him to prepare a case for presentation to the Board in answer to that of the proprietors. He claimed that he wanted an adjournment in order to prepare the case, and added that to show the strong desire for a satisfactory settlement, the Miners' Delegate Board had taken the advice given yesterday and appointed five of its number, along with the executive officers, to confer with the proprietors. They were prepared to meet during the afternoon with a view to reducing the claims and paving the way to early settlement. The men wanted to reach a solution of the trouble and fix a day for

resumption. Mr Charlton said he believed if parties once got together a settlement would be reached in a short time, and work would probably be resumed next week. The President of the Wages Board declined the application 011 the ground that no assurance was given that the men were going to submit their claims on Wednesday. Mr Charlton thereupon announced that he must retire from the case, and walked out of court. The Board proceeded to hear evidence in support of the proprietors' claims. Mr Charlton later returned to the court, and stated that the Delegate Board had met, and resolved that he again renew the application for adjournment. They realised the necessity of an early settlement, and though they could give no guarantee, they were fully prepared to say that if the request were granted' it would : bring about the resumption of wort , at a very early date. The Delegate Board also desired him to ask Judge Scholes, President of the Wages Board, whether he could see his way, in the capacity of a citizen, to meet the miners' representatives, as it was their desire to bring about a settlement. Judge Scholes said he considered that Mr Charlton must have strong reasons for pressing the adjournment. He therefore granted it for two reasons—firstly, in the hope of the men's submitting their case to the Board, and secondly of the prospects that a settlement Avould soon be possible'. He also agreed to the request that he should meet the miners'' representatives. The Board then adjourned to Wednesday, and Judge Scholes proceeded to the Trades Hall to confer with the Miners' Advisory Board. A BALLOT TO BE TAKEN. ON THE RESUMPTION OF WORK. SYDNEY, Feb. 10. The Southern Miners' Delegate Board has decided to take a ballot as to whether work shall be resumed on Monday next pending the decision of the Wages Board. The result of the voting of the various lodges will be known on Saturday night.