BROKEN HILL RELIEF FUND

Maoriland Worker, Volume 10, Issue 447, 1 October 1919, Page 3

BROKEN HILL RELIEF FUND

Mr. J. Arbuckle, secretary of the Miners' Federation acknowledges the following amounts from comrades towards the Broken Hill Relief Fund. He also thuuks thteiu for their expression of sympathy for th_ welfare of t__ wives and families of the Broken Hill miners, and for the success of the men who are lighting for decent working and living conditions, and an insurance against that horrible disease known as miners* complaint or miners' phthisis. Surely, says Mr. Arbuckle. this is not too much to expect from a company who have made and ar© making millions out of th© labor of those who slave for ttem. Now this is a good lead from individuals to assist the Broken Hill miners to maintain the fight and what is wrong with you fel-low-comrades following suit, or getting your Unions _o do t,umcthii.;j. _fits. d. Discontent, Frankton 10 0 E. J. li. Allou, Auckland 0 10 0 "J.W.W., Napier 10 0 A. U. Devercux, Owhango 0 5 0 J. Meredith, i-toncy Creek 0 7 6 Commune Bon una, Temuka ... 0 7 0 -t'3 9 6 BLA.hBALI. _}ILM_RS' UJYIO-N. We record with regret the departure for Scotland of Mr. A. McLagan, President of the Union. To mark our appreciation of our comrade as a man and an uncompromising fighter for his class, a smoke concert was held in his honor on September 11 in the

Oddfellows' Hall, at which enjoyable function, Comrade .McLagan was presented with a suitably-inscribed cigarette case and holder and a purse of sovereigns. The presentation was followed by speeches, in which the recipient's worth as a president, and particularly while holding office as a check inspector, were eulogised. Comrade McLagan was also entertained by _\lrs. Hughes at a farewell supper, in which a large number ot friends and acquaintances participat- '•■ cd. One feature of the occasion was the revolutionary emblems with which the table was decorated. Quite a stir has been occasioned among.,! the members ot Ihe union by the i.isuing of a claim for £b from each member by the Labor Department for an alleged breach of tho agreement consisting of absenting ourselves from work for a. "wholday" for (he purpose of holding a speri-rl meeting for the discussion of union :i.:t;H'_y. In the writer's opinion about, ihe only useful purpose tha Arbitration Court and its adjunct, the Labor Department, serves, is to bind the workers hand and foot for the benefit of the employers and exploiters of New Zealand, and on every conceivable occasion when there is the least sign of dissatisfaction or resistance to intolerable conditions, to rig up some trumpery case of breach of an award, so that any loose coin that Henry may have around can be gathered in. It is just about time we Dubbs took a tumble, and collectively decided that on every occasion the capitalist court handed round its tines to retaliate. As pointed out by the Federation secretary in his rcccm. circular to unions, the coal companies in this locality have embarked on a pin-pricking policy that is causing considerable irritation. However, w. recognise that they are endeavouring to precipitate industrial trouble in .Maoriland, and we arc fighting shy of their bait. AVc arc most of us getting wise to the fact that we are only allowed a bare existence at best, whatever speed we go at, so why worry, or hurry. Conditions as regards safety and ventillation in the Blackball mine are, thanks to vigilant check inspectors > and workers generally, steadily on the mend. The only fly in the ointment, and it is a pretty big one, is a stinking clay on the floor in certain sections down No. 9 Dip. The fumes given off,., even where a strong current of air is travelling, are very injurious to the health. We have decided to get the Mines Department to make a strict investigation into the matter unless something of a remedial nature is undertaken immediately. The section mentioned probably will be given a wide berth by the mine workers of Blackball.