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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9164, 20 September 1888, Page 4

The strike of the coal miners at Newcastle seems likely, besides the serious effects from the failure of the supply of coal, to lead to disturbances of the peace of considerable magnitude. There is no doubt that the men are determined to employ force to prevent any work being done in the mines while they are out on strike. A body of labourers engaged to work at one of the mines were assailed by a mob armed with sticks, and they had to surrender and to give an undertaking to refrain from working. A detachment of the Permanent Artillery was sent to the spot, but before they got there the rioters had dispersed, having gained their immediate object. The coal miners are in a splendid position for exercising force to prevent any work being done at the mines. Their dwellings are close around the mouths of the pits, and thus they hold the key of the situation. It would be almost impossible to carry on the work of the mine while they were determined to oppose, and were not scrupulous as to the means they used. Every man engaged at a pit would have to be guarded to and from his work, and he could not live at any place near the mine, unless at some particular spot, carefully forti fied. The miners, indeed, are strong enough to defeat any body of police which could be mustered. A Government resting upon universal suffrage, such as that of any of these colonies, must always be exceedingly unwilling to eirploy that " whiff of grapeshotr which Napoleon declared was the proper way of dealing with a riotous mob. But it would appear certain that something of the kind will have to take place. It would be intoler ble that there should be a daily riot while the men were beingescorted to and from their work. Better far to have the business settled at once by the Gatling gun, if the miners on their side take up weapons .to prevent the owners of the coal mines from employing men who are willing to work. The miners are quite entitled to go on strike if they are dissatisfied

with the wages or conditions n t working but they are certainty no entitled to prevent other men C n earning their living. If the miners rS strike attempt to do so, they put them selves clearly in the wrong, and J? pose themselves to all the risks of thoS who take up arms against order ami society. uu