TEE WAIHI MIRERS' DISPUTE

New Zealand Herald, 12 March 1901, Page 6

TEE WAIHI MIRERS' DISPUTE

[BY TELEGBATH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Corojiandel, Monday. ' A liEETiNtt of the members, of the Coromandel branch of tho Miners' Union' was held on Saturday evening, to consider the advisableness oi otherwise of taking the Waihi dispute before the Conciliation Board. A resolution in the affirmative was carried unanimously, and the ballot gave a result of 40 for and one against the proposal. The Great Barrier, Opitonui, New Four-in-Hand, and Tokater. returns have yet to come in. Whilst tho men generally sympathise with their fellow unionists at Waihi, there is no great enthusiasm manifested, and neither is it to be expected in the face of so many men being discharged from their work at 8s per day, owing to the mines not paying. On Saturday the Kapanga find Blagrove's men were all paid off, and already the majority .have left the district seeking work. Some are breaking ap their homes, and others are leaving their" families behind them in the meantime. : Waihi at present is the chief centre of attraction. Owing to tho excellent reputation the Coromandel miners have as capable workmen, they seem to have no difficulty in obtaining employment in that district. [FROM OUR own correspondent.] Waihi, Saturday. An overflowing meeting of the Waihi branch of the Thames Miners' Union was held in the Miners' Union Hall to-night, at which Mr. W. H. Potts (president of the Thames Miners' Union) presided. The notices convening the meeting having been read, it was unanimously decided to adjourn to Tanner's Hall, which was forthwith carried out. Upon the resumption of the meeting in Tanner's Hall, which was crowded to the doors, a call for three cheers for Mr. President Potts was heartily responded to. Mr. Potts thanked the meeting for their kind reception, and said it affords! him pleasure to be with them to help them arrive at some i satisfactory solution of the existing difficulty. He regretted, however, the circumstances that had called him to Waihi, especially as every honest method had been tried with the Waihi Company to bring about an amicable settlement without going to extremes. He hoped the speakers that evening would approach the matters under discussion in a calm manner, as they did not want any bounce or irritation introduced, but simply fair, straight talk. The secretary read the minutes of the special meeting, held on Saturday, March 2, which were unanimously confirmed. Tho new scale of wages was then read and accepted without dissent. . A telegram was read from the Thames Miners' Union as follows :—" Large meeting here; unanimous vote in favour of Conciliation Board; also passed resolution of sympathy with men discharged, and pledge to stand by them." The .following resolutions were unanimously carried: " That Mr. H. P. Barry's offer to reinstate the whole of the men on condition that the wages demand be dropped, be not accepted." "That in reference to Mr. Barry's offer to reinstate Messrs. Molloy and Lumb unconditionally, this meeting declines to sanction any going back to work until the whole of the discharged men are reinstated." That the several gold mining companies in Waihi be cited before the Conciliation Board in respect to the scale of wages and other matters in dispute, and that a ballot be taken forthwith, and extended to nine p.m. on Monday, March 11, in support of this resolution, or otherwise." A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. W. H. Potts for presiding was carried by acclamation.

The ballot was subsequently proceeded with in the Miners' Union Hall until »- quarter to eleven p.m., when the usual legal forms were complied with re sealing of ballotboxes, etc., preparatory to the resumption of voting on Monday Mr. J. Livesoy was appointed returning officer for tho Waihi branch of the Thames Miners' Union.