THE STRIKES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8385, 13 October 1890, Page 5

THE STRIKES.

Press Association.—Electric Telegraph. — Copyright. Sydney, October 11. Coal is selling at 40s per ton. Great preparations are being made for the opening of the Mount Kembla mine, in order to supply the railways. The pit is guarded by a large force of military. Melbourne, October 11. The Employers' Defence Committee has decided to set apart a fund to subsidise the non-unionists thrown out of work by the strike.

The Premier, Mr. Gillies, states that he has no intention of insisting on a conference of the parties to the strike. He only desires to point out the disastrous effects of its continuance, and to urge both to come to an amicable settlement as soon as possible.

THE HIKURANOI COAL MINES. [BY TELEUIiAI'H.—OWN* CORRESPONDENT.] Whanoarei, Saturday. Forty teams tiro now carting coal from Hikurangi to supply the Union S.S. Company and the Northern S.S. Company. Some of thb teams go twice a day four days in the week, and the quantity brought in weekly would be over 300 tons. Two thousand tons is the amount of the present contract, and by the time that is used the Hikurangi coal should be well advertised. THE HUMTLY COAL MINES. A correspondent writes : —There are now reasonable prospects of the strike at Huntly coming to a epeedy termination, many of the unionists returning to work. Ralph's mine has again resumed work for a time. Other mines will re-commence operations shortly. The unionists who went out from the Taupiri Extended Company's mine offered their serY'ces unconditionally, but they received intimation from Mr. Tattley, the manager, that he had no room for them, as their places had been filled by free labourers. It may bo mentioned that the supply of free labour lias been far in excess of the demand, the Taupiri Company having refused numerous applicants since Tuesday last, their full complement of miners having been obtained on that date. The output of coal from this mine is now up to the old standard, which speaks well for the free labourers engaged on the works. The mine manager having taken a firm stand from the first has successfully resisted all attempts of the unionises at intimidation. In this he has been ably assisted by Inspector Emerson, who with a body of police has certainly had his work cut out. On one occasion only was his position in peril, but the bold front he maintained with a handful of men only, in dealing with a procession of some hundred and twenty unionists, who from their disorderly behaviour wore evidently bent on mischief, very clearly proved to them that he (the inspector) was not to be ; rifled with. Tho mere presence of the police here has been sufficient, so far, to check manifestations of ill-feeling other than that of hooting and hk'hflown language, which has been chiefly directed by the unionists towards the Taupiri Extended Company, their manager, and employes.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION. 1 Chkistciiurch, Sunday. An interview took place yesterday between the committee of the association for working the port with free labour and some representatives of the labour party. The proceedings were private, but it is statod that nothing definite was arrived at. A meeting of the labour unions was held in the Theatre laebnight. Delegates to the conference gave a reporb of their work. Resolutions were passed deprecating the refusal of the Employers' Associations to attend the conference, approving of the basis of agreement submitted by the labour delegates, endorsing the proposal that all unions contribute 10 per cent, on wages above £1 per week for the support of the men engaged in the struggle, and approving of the suggestion to establish National Maritime Trades and Labour Council for New Zealand. The meeting appeared to be unanimous and enthusiastic.

The difficulty as to the unloading of the manganese from tho lighter alongside the ship Zealandia, by union lumpers, reported in Saturday's issue, was overcome by employing other labourers. It would seem now that the strike, so far as the coal miners are concerned, has wholly collapsed. The Kamo miners resume work to-day, unconditionally, and will give a fortnight's notice in future before going out.

Ib is current that the strike pay issued on Saturday was reduced to 103 per man.