THE BLACKBAAL MINERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13723, 13 April 1908, Page 6

THE BLACKBAAL MINERS.

STRIKE TO CONTINUE. NEW EXECUTIVE ELECTED. KEEP A SOLID FRONT." [by telegraph.—press association. G key mouth, Sunday. Ox Saturday the members of the executive of the Blackball Miners' Union sent in their resignations. .As a meeting had been called, the members rolled up, and an election was token, the old executive, with the exception of -Mr. Barnhill, offering themselves for re-election. Hie reason given for Mr. Barnhill's abstention was that as he works on the Ngahore-Blackball railway, he; found it very inconvenient to give the necessary time to the duties of his office as president.

The following officers were nominated and declared elected: —President, Mr. Fox; vice-president, Mr. Buchanan ; secretary, Mr. Rogers; committee, Messrs. Meechani, Webb, Hall, Milligan, W. Leitch, and Richards.

The following telegram from Mr. Hickey, the union delegate, now in the North, to the secretary (Mr. Rogers) was read: — " Mr. Tregear wished that his position should be dealt with by the executive."

A wire from Mr. Pritchard to Mr. Rogers was also read as, follows. —

Don't resign, despite traitors. Keep a solid front, and victory will be ours. Don't heed the clamouringfi of a few creatures, who would rather be s'ave-s than free men.— Yours, in the cause of union and justice, Pritchard.

It was decided to continue the strike and remain firm in the demand for half-an-hour crib time.

It is reported that over £300 was distributed in strike pay on Saturday, the basis of payment being 30s for each man, 10s for each wife, and 5s for each child. One miner received £3 10s for the week on the basis.

The Tyneside Miners' Union met on Saturday and rescinded the resolution agreeing to give support to the strikers.

The Wharf Labourers' Union met this morning to consider the question of withdrawing support, but the press was not admitted, and all information as to the result was withheld. A CONCILIATORY MESSAGE. SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION. Greymouth, Sunday. The telegram from Mr. Tregear, Secretary of Labour, to the president of the union, which the executive is charged with having suppressed, is as follows: — Andrew Barnhill, president Blackball Miners' Union, Blackball, have been-en-gaged on several occasions with Mr. Hickey and Mr. McCullough in endeavouring to find some solution of the present difficulty. I have come to the conclusion that there is no way out of it except by the Minister's influence being used with Mr. Head and the directors. Ministers, however, will not move after the manner in which the former approach was met without having the guarantee of the union, through its executive, that any arrangement made by them would be adhered to. The proposals formulated in my mind are as follows:—The directors to grant within a fortnight 30 minutes' crib time, restoration of the discharged men to their former positions, and the payment of half the fine, the men on their part to guarantee that if these concessions are granted they will return to work at once. If the men will ask the Minister to intervene with Mr. Head, the matter need not be made public in any way; in facl, it would be an entirely private arrangement, and one that would be expected to be confidential, so far as the press is'concerned. In regard to payment of half the fine, the Government would give very easy terms, namely, three months, a portion being paid each month, bitfc the final payment to be made within the three months. Personally, I urge you to accept, because I not only feel that you will gain nearly all the benefits for which the strike was instituted, but also because I have private information that many of the directors are urging that the mine should be shut down altogether until the railway comes —(Sd.) Edward Tbegear, Secretary for Labour.

The executive, according to a correspondent of the Argus, did not consider the -whole of the miners capable of dealing with such a matter, and considered it in camera, with the result that Mr. Tregear was notified that the - miners could not entertain the proposal. Things went on as before, the miners quite in ignorance of the opportunity of the satisfactory settlement they had missed, and the Secretary for Labour, believing that hp had the decision of the majority of the miners. Some of the miners heard rumours concerning the telegram, and after the executive had refused to read the correspondence, Mr. Tregear was «• applied to for a copy of the telegram seat to Mr. Barnhill.

Mr. Tregear replied promptly, stating that he could not say that the terms mentioned could then be obtained. Mr. Rickey, and Mr. Hogg, for the socialist party, recommended, he added, that the terms lie suggested should be accepted. When the telegram had been read, some of the members of the union wished to rescind the decision to continue the strike, and to ask the manager if the terms mentioned in the telegram were still open. They were ruled out of order by the chairman, and any suggestions tending towards a settlement, it is alleged, -were received with cries of, " Out of order" from the chairman. The correspondent concludes, " If they were assured that the management would grant 30 minutes' 'crib time' within a fortnight, 1 have no hesitation in saving they would have returned to work immediately, especially as .Mi-. Head had promised to pay half the fine. If the executive are not afraid of the men returning to work, why do they not allow a ballot to be taken on the matter suggested above?"

Mr. W. Rogers, secretary of the union, admitted that the telegram from Mr. Tregear was quite cofldfcct, but said it was only a suggestion that did not embody a resolution that the committee were bound by from a general meeting. The committee, on receipt of the telegram, owing to its privacy, were disinclined to discuss it in any way, but, seeing that they were only suggestions of Mr. Tregear, decided to reply, with the hope of getting something more definite before placing before the general meeting. The committee replied to the telegram stating that if the Minister could get the 30 minutes' crib time granted, the men would resume work immediately. No reply had been received to that wire. Mr. Rogers asserted that the. committee was doing its utmost to bring about a settlement in accordance with resolutions passed by a general meeting. The union had received no proposal from any one, merely suggestions from outside sources. Mr. Tregear mentioned that he could not say that the terms suggested by him could now be obtained, nor ould he say that they could be brought into the terms. At the conclusion of the meeting a motion was carried by acclamation endorsing the action of the committee. .- MINISTER AND DELEGATE. AN INTERVIEW REFUSED. ■ [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Sunday. Mr. Pritchard, one of the representatives of the Blackball miners, who has been touring the Dominion in the endeavour to enlist sympathy in their behalf, suffered a disappointment in Wellington last week.

The Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Labour) was informed that Mr. Pritcbard wished to interview him, to discuss a possible basis of settlement of the strike. The Minister inquired whether Mr. Pritchard held any official authority from the miners to treat with him on the matter, and on learning that lie was not authorised declined to meet him.

It is understood that the attitude taken up by Mr. Millar was hat he did not care to discuss questions with a person acting in a private capacity, who had made such derogatory remarks as Mr. Pritchard was' stated to have made about the Minister in the South. Mr. Pritchard left Wellington on his return to Westland on Saturday night. THAMES MINERS TO HELP. [IST TEI.EtjRAI'H.—OWN" CORK ESI'ON I) EXT. ] Thames, Sunday. A general meeting of the Thames Miners' Union was held last night to consider the question of assisting the Blackball strikers. A resolution was passed recommending to the executive council that monetary assistance be granted to the strikers. WAIHI MINERS CONTRIBUTE. fur TK.I.EGRAI'H. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Waihi, Sunday. The Waihi Miners' and Workers' Union have forwarded £45 to the Blackball Union towards the strike fund.