THE BLACKBALL MINERS' STRIKE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 3 March 1908, Page 3

THE BLACKBALL MINERS' STRIKE.

MEETING OF THE LABOUR COUNCIL. TIIE STRIKE. UPHELD. [United Press Assocut.o.*..] REEFTON, Tuesday. Tho Westland Trades and Labour Council met here this morning,- -"Mr Foster, of Donnistou, in the chair, and all other Unions on tha West Coast being fully represented. Standing orders were suspended to allow tho delegates from Blackball to speak concerning the trouble there. Mr Hickey, a delegate, and ono of the dismissed men, whose dismissal I was ostensibly the cause of the strike, spoke at somo length, detailing the trouble between the mine owners and the men. He said that trouble No. 1 as to tho tare of wooden tubs had been settled. Trouble No. 2 was due to crib time being limited to fifteen minutes. The Unionhad decided on half an hour. Then thero were the dismissal and the manner of dismissal, and then the strike followed. The men had approached the manager in every reasonable manner, nnd considered the reasons given for dismissal inadequate. The ventilation of the mine was bad, and Hickev and ethers had complained to Mr MV.'S'.ib. and had been marked men ever since. Tho Council heard both Hickev nnd Rodgers. Secretary to the Minors' Union at Blackball, and decided that after hearing the explanation of tho delegates at Blackball, this Council was of opinion that the men had been discharged without reasonable excuse by the manager of the Blackball Coal Company, and were not treated in a manner they had the right to expect, and the Council was of opinion that the Blackball Miners ' Union had been driven by unfair means, and by the manner the members bad been treated, . without any hope of redress, to cease J working until justice was done, and ' the Council strongly nreed on the \ Unions the necessity of immediate • moral and financial nurport to the ' Blackball Union in their struggle. Tho Arbitration Court's methods Were freely criticised, and somo : speakers advocnted a resort to a general strike; but the opinion did not find , favour. A motion asking the Minister of Labour to direct, the- Arbitration Court immediately to intervene was deferred till the Government proposals wero received.