WEST COAST MINES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 20 June 1931, Page 8

WEST COAST MINES

QUIET TIME AT BLACKBALL

I*ARTII-S WATCHFUI

DIFFICULT POSITION OF TRADES PEOPLE

GREYMOUTII, 18th June

Everything was peaceful in Blackball this morning, stales I lie special correspondent of the Christchurch “’I imes. Miners congregated in knots about the streets and talked. Up above the township Mr Balderstonc and ins parly carried on their job unmolested. Near the foot of the bills oil which (he mine is situated parlies of union miners strolled about in what appeared a quite aimless manner. Actually they were keeping an eye upon the people above, and Irom above Iho police were keeping an eye on them.

“You have to keep snowing,” one of I hem explained, and indicated lhal if lie did nol the police would probably have something to say to him.

EASY TIMES FOR POLICE It was very quiet up at the mine. Only two policemen were on duty. They had rigged up a temporary table in the sunshine and there passed the time in some mysterious process that, involved the use of cards and matches. “No money on the table,” said one of them with a smile, as a Pressman menaced them with a camera. They seemed eminently content in their sylvan surroundings and one gathered from remarks made in between references to “two pair.” and “full bouse ou queens” that they didn’t care how long police reinforcements were needed in Blackball.

In the township below, the bulk of the special force, were very busy. Panting and perspiring they were doing their best to prove that the force contains first-class Soccer players. Until the next demonstration occurs, that is the way life will go on at Blackball—miners talking, police playing and Mr Balderstonc and party getting on with the job.

A MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION Blackball woke suddenly iast night to the sound of an explosion and the police were quickly, out of their quarters and scouring the town looking for people with bombs. If any miners knew just what happened last night they were not prepared to give details. This morning all that could be definitely ascertained was that an explosion of considerable force occurred, and it is surmised Hint a plug of gelignite wasi detonated. 'ihc explosion must have taken place away from any property, as no damage could be found. “Between the devil and the deep blue sea.” That was the way one tradesman of Blackball explained to-day tbo position in which people doing business in this mining town find themselves. As part of the campaign against the men who are working the new mine, union miners have informed business people that if they trade with their opponents they will declare their business “black. The.bulk of the trade of the township is with union miners, who, with their families, constitute the major portion of the population. On the other hand, the business people have been given, to understand that if they obey the behest of the miners they will find shortly that opposition shops have been set up. Ihe prospect for them is, inercforc, very bad, as they seem certain to sullcr severely whatever steps tliey take. In the meantime business people in Blackball are falling iw with the miners’ demands, while even in Greyniouth business men are acting warily. Thus one man, whose business has reached a fair volume as far afield as Runanga, was told that if lie supplied tlm workers in the new mine ne ’voulil lose the Runanga trade. Mr Balderstonc and his party appeared to bo least worried of any. “Where do you get your supplies?” he was asked. lie laughed. “We get them all right,’ he said, but wasi not prepared to say. In some instances the police have given assistance in this direction. Few people who do not know the Coast can understand how potent a weapon “declaring black” can be.. It is a threat that carries tremendous force even with the largest concerns, and business in* n generally are being very careful just now that they do not bring their business under a ban that will mean a very thorough boycott. Mr W. Balderslone and bis companions, wbo are working the new mine at Blackball, and against whom the resentment Of the union miners has been directed, made it quite plain to-day that they do not intend to he scared from their jobs,. ‘lt doesn’t worry us,” remarked one member of the parly, referring to tbo tactics of intimidation, which bo declared had been employed, lie added that attempts were made to frighten them ,at night, but they were well able to take care of themselves. “If they take it too far let them look out,” ho said. Mr Balderstonc in an explanation of bis party’s case said: “Eighteen months ago a party of us approached tlie Blackball Coal Company for a lease of some unworked coal bearing country near some abandoned workings) on their property. Wo got a lease granted us subject to the company having first preference to buy the coal. Tilings seemed to be going along all ’right and the general opinion locally at the time was that it was a good move and would help the township. After we had been going about a week the National officials of the United Mine Workers came along and held a meeting with the local executive. I hey objected that we wore a straight-out tribute party. As the organisation was up against the tribute system we were told we would have to got off the job. We /refused, as everything was. clean and above board, 'llien the national, organisation got in touch with the directors of the Blackball Coal Company and tbo Coal Owners’ Association to bring pressure to bear on us to get out. We told the owners that we would appeal to the Alliance of Labour, and if we could not convince them that we were a bona fide co-operative party we would get out. We met tbe Alliance executive and the only thing they could find wrong was that they did not think we had free selling rights of the coal. Some of them thought there wasi a difference between getting a lease of a freehold and a Crown lease. .FREE TO SELL COAL

“'liver since that lime we have been working lo gel lheir object ion to I bo lease removed, r.nil lecently have been successful. We are now free lo .sell our coal when we like. We l iver dreamed that there would be any further ohjee- : lion, hut, further look plaie on llie part of rhe miners’ organisation. One or two wanted us io give a strict guarantee that ivo would not sell to die IJlarkhall Company. We pointed out j Unit that was ridiculous, for in the, first place they had asked us to get a, tree band in selling and then wanted to red strict, ns. Wo told them we would soil in the best market possible and would not be dictated to by anybody." j Thereafter,' Mr T’ahlerstoue added, he j attended a stormy meeting of the union, from which he made his way with police assistance. Much pressure, lie said, was brought to hear to ascertain I hr i „-rm- v of t wo shareholders whom tlm .union do signated ‘‘(lark horses," and his offer 'o communicate the names privately to Mr McLagan, president, and also to the

secretary of the local union, did not [•rove acccpiablc. lie bail also niTere lo give preference of employment lo local men. An impasse thus was roarlieii.

So far as lie was concerned he intend ed to carry on and work Ihe mine. lie. denied that his parly, was working e-i I lie tribute system. 1 hey were a nn cate company working as any other private company miglii. do, and they did nol intend in be put out ai business by ini imidat ioil

MINERS’ SIDE OF QUESTION

POINTS iN BiSI’U I S

STATEMENT BV SECiIETAIiV OF UNION GREYMOUTIi, 181 h dime. ’1 lo not think liiat the company went a settlement, ’ said Mr A. tMcLaglan. secretary of the United Mine Workers’ organisation, discussing I he trouble. “The company seems to have set itself absolutely against union labour. Wo still are willing to make a settlement with them on ilia conditions that obtain in oilier mines in the dislriit. So far. there has been no indirat ion of the company being prepared to consider c. settlement.’" Mr MeLaglan said that the conditions of work the miners laid been successful in building up were being broken down by the tribute system, ihe miners did not think it much of a danger when it was introduced a few years ago, but it had been growing gradually. It bad been found that the smaller companies c. ho were pioneers in I his l system were able to produce more cheaply than were companies employing union labour, and the time had come when the larger companies were beginning to feel the com. petition and turned in search of cheaper methods of production. There was not the slightest doubt llmt the cheaper production that system perniilted was being achieved at the cost of the workers who were producing the coal. Under ordinary conditions, bowers in mines were on piece rates, and naturally they produced as much as possible. ‘When, therofore, it was found under the tribute system that production was practically twice what it was under the other system, it was easy to understand that the result could lie achieved niy by methods that ignored safety regulations and disregarded , Ilea It ii. it was necessary to disregard timbering and ventilation.

So far as the party now working are concerned, Mr MeLaglan was emphatic, despite their statement io the contrary that they were working on (he tribnie system. “We know,” lie said, “that they have not the money to finance the undertaking, i Where is the money coming from?” Ho denied Air Balderstone's statement that an offer was made to communicate confidentially the names of “dark horse” shareholders. . The work on the presen: location, he said, was only a side issue. The object of the party was to go to the old E and 0 levels of (lie old mine. Those levels were a Jong way up Blackball Creek gorge and winning coal iljere meant a big job. It was impossible to undertake such a task with a capital of £4OOO, and villi tbe numbers now engaged it would take “wetyears to do it. “We are not afraid of any coal the"can produce,’ continued Mr MeLaglan “It would be harmless. They simply are being started there to weaken tbo morale of the Blackball men and make them feci they are fighting a. losing battle and so induce them to give, way and accept the company’s terms.” It was very hard, he, added, to know just what the conipai.y's terms were. Originally the dispute had started h•cause falling business had induced the company to decide lo dismiss eighty men. That point had been settled, as bad others that Mr MeLaglan enumerated, and (be only point left unsettled was the use of the main haulage road. by the men. 'Pile company’s proposal in tins connection meant the use of steps live hundred feet high and having an angle of ascent of one in one. The use of this means, which was merely an emergency drive, would be a. hard task for a young anil Jit man, hut would he an impossible task for Ihc older men. 'Hie authorities would never sanction I lie use of such a method and this the company knew, yet iL still held up a .settlement. “We have done everything possible to get si settlement,” he concluded. “Wo have gone further to get a .settlement ii; this dispute than in any dispute before, but at no time have we ever looked, like getting a settlement. We are of opinion (hat the company lias never intended to make a settlement.