COAL MINERS' STRIKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16982, 19 April 1917, Page 6

COAL MINERS' STRIKE

EXTENSION OF TROUBLE. WORK STOPPED AT PUKEMIRO. 150 MEN IDLE. (Pβ* United Pbebs Assooiatioh.) AUCKLAND, April 18. Ino miners struck work at the Pukemiro colliery, eight miles from Huntly. One hundred and fifty men are out. MINISTERS ON THE WEST COAST. VISIT TO STATE MINES. (Pea (JwrrKn Piucsa Association.) GREYMOUTH, April 18. Sir James Allen and tho Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald aro to-day visiting the State mines. ALLEGED SEDITIOUS STRIKE. CHARGES. AGAINST MINE UNION OFFICIALS. ACCUSED REMANDED. (Per Uhitbd Pnnss Association AUCKLAND, April 18. Six mino union officials, who were arrested at Huntly, together with three from the West Coast, charged in connection with an alleged seditious strike, wero further remanded till Monday. Thero are 42 informations against the nine, and 55 Waikato miners have been summoned, to appear on charges of being parties to a seditious strike.

One charge against J. Jones is that of publishing a seditious utterance in the follow telegram to the secretary of the federation at Runanga :—-" You should wire all unions to act , upon our arrangements immediately, bringing pressure to bear upon the employers to grant a conference : issue being delayed by you not entrusting some of the work to Coppersmith or executive members; write particulars to Kaitangata district; forward references to employers immediately; Huntly, To Akatea, and .Fukcmiro acting effectively; meeting here to-night; wire- urgent what you going to do.

John Winnard (president, of the Denniston Minera' Union) was charged inter alia that an March 15 ho encouraged the continuance of a seditious strike "by sendin" John Arbucklo a letter containing the following words:—"Dear Comrade,—Enclosed you wiU find £4 10s, money you lent me; our meeting off all right; very near the whole of the members being present; voting being unanimously against owners' proposals. I flogged some of our men here who did not pay their money in to the union. Of course you cannot get it, but you have to do something to make them think. Last fortnight this mine was very near 2000 tons short'. Wo have great spirit hero at present. Of course there is an unforeseen hand at work, and they aro doing their best to shift me. They have a big job on. The election of officers takes place nest week, so the results are being discussed. _ I supposo you sent a report of some land to Puponga. If not, you would do 'well to do so. I would if you don't. I went to Blackball last Sunday in placo of stopping at Greymouth. Tho whole cause of the trouble seems to be through the chair. That is what I heard, anyhow. S a .V. you had a great joke over my coach ticket. I will get you through. We are fighting for our very existence now, so you will be wise to keep in touch with every union, and if thero is the least sign of weakness we want to have a representative sent there."

Thomas Helson (secretary of the Denniston Union) was charged that he encouraged the continuance of a seditious strike by using the following words at a special meeting of the Miners' Union on March 6 — "Tho secretary brought up the question of the money earned by the miners in excess of ISs 2d per day previously agreed upon, and explained that he had some difficulty in collecting most of it The general opinion among the miners was that they wero to have 13s 2d clear after stores, doctor, checkweifjht, homo coal, and other stoppages had been kept off. Tho secretary said b* had acted upon these linos. He also told the men who had been penalised in this way that if their earnings were under the agreed wage next pay then they would be made up with their own money that they had paid in this way. The secretary explained that he did not think it was the object of the union to mako money out of this proposition, and by promising to make up to these men in this manner ho was encouraging them to restrict below the 13s 2d next pay. It was restriction of output that was wanted. Ho also .reported that there wns only one man who declined to comply with the union resolutions on this question."

_ John Arbuckle (secretary of the federation) was charged that, on November 21, he published matter likely to interfere with the effective operations of the present war in the following letter:—"Dear Comrade. You will ploase find enclosed copy of' a 'resolution moved by the Dcriniston Miners' Union. Kindly place same before a mooting of your union, and let mo know their deliberations' at your earliest convonionce. Resolution: 'As tho first ballot under tho prov ; pions of the Military Service Act will be taken any day now. this union resolved that, if any of its members are conscripted ospiinst thoir wish, a central strike will bo immediately declared. , * P.S.—I have been instructed to notify you of our intpntion. and ask you to circularise all other affiliated unions_ on the matter, and ask thorn to fall into line. We .firmly believe that by consolidated action the miners of New Znaland can control their own destinies in this direction, whereas if wo permit the machinery of this damnable Act to hnpome operative among our members, victimisation will become rampant." A tenth minor, named John Wesley, son.. of Huntly, has been arrested, and charged with seditious utterances contained in tho following words in a letter:—" Then new Government War Regulations so soon as we ask for a few pence more to get bread and'butter. The war gods say: 'Wo will save the exploiters by passing War Regulations. To demand by any way means sedition, treason. . Are you leaders going to kneel to it? Are the rank and file going" to kneel to it? I say 'No.' The TVelsh miners say ' No,' so we must fill the gaols, damn them, yes. Damn the gnols. Start the ball and go in 100, 500 at a hit in gaol. Let them take 150 out of each mine in New Zealand. How long will it last? What an insult. Ask for broad, sedition. Capital has run the last lap. They go slow. We must fight for, less hours, not wages. All great economists say shori; hours. Get to six, then five, and then tho boot will start to pinch. Got to E. W. Alison and W. J. Ralph. You all have to-hit Alison down! Tho whole mob wants to got to him in a fair way. Good day; host regards from Mrs Wesley and all at home; fight, fight,, you b s; fight! I don't soe where Jones, Cummings, and Seddon left for conference, but see the top of this page. What priced being of the oxploitei- class? Amen, best wishes to-all comrades.—Ycrar comrade in the fight." SHORTAGE OF SUPPLIES EFFECT ON RAILWAY SERVICES. (Pkb Dmitztj Prhß9 Association.) ' WELLINGTON, April 18. Another cat in the railway service is reported, tho department having cancelled the special train arrangements for the Manawatu races, which will take place on April 25 and April 26. It has also cancelled special trains for all similar gatherings.

(Feom Otm Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 18. Tho Railway Department will be really to announce its coal-saving time-table in " the course of a day or two. In the staff-saving scheme, already published, it was calculated that a reduction- of about one-third had boon made in tho number of train miles to bo run. Tho coal-savins schomo provides for a reduction of one-half.

The new time-table will bo very liko that alrondy announced, but sonio of the trains will have to bo deleted from it, among them tho few evening trains left in the schedules of suburban lines. As tho object of this latest cut is not primarily the saving of men it is not tho intention of ,tho department to discontinue at once the running of tho dining ears on the express trains. That ohango will bo allowed to stand over until tho staff-saving timetable- is introduced early in May. There may eren be some further delay, because it is expected that tho department will have to enlarge the dining rooms at tho stations where 6tons for rolrcakments will bo. made.

SHORTAGE IN AUCKLAND. ELECTRIC SUPPLY CURTAILED. (PjBB UnITJCD PBKSB ASSOOIATION.) AUCKLAND, April 18. +1, u yor statcd to-day that owing to tno shortage of coal it was necessary to curtail tbo supply of , electricity to certain largo users. Unless coal was available in the next few days it would be neoessary to make a drastic curtailment in order to keep absolutely essential services running. • POSITION IN CHRISTCHUfcCH. CHEIiHJLESS OUTLOOK (Pun United Pbkss Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 18. Mr Cloary (secretary of tlie Christehureh Ooal Merchants' Association) gave it us his opinion to-day that unless the position with regard to coal supplies shows somo improvement within a month every coal merchant in Christchurch will have to close his yard. MONOWAI TO BE LAID UP. In consequence of the acute shortage of coal, tho Union Company is withdrawing the Monowai from tho East Coast service, aiio left Auckland yesterday, having been further delayed by necessary engine repairs, and will bo laid up indefinitely at Dunedin on her arrival here. FEDERATION OP LABOUR. Sm JAMES ALLEN'S REPLY. SURPRISE AT FEDERATION'S OPPOSITION. (Pea United Prkbs "" . GREYMOUTH, April 18. bir James Allen and the Hon. \V. D. S. Mac Donald arrived back late to-night after naeoting the minors at Runanga and Rewanui. Sir James Allen, in reply to Mr Hiram Hunter's statement, sent the following telegram:—"Hiram Hunter, national secretary of the Federation of Labour, Christehufch. —Your telegram received. I can scarcely behove that tho Federation of Labour has opposed so fair and democratic a measure as tho Military Service Act, which places every man, so far ns service with the Expeditionary Forces is concerned, on exactly the same footing. The Government cannot suspend tho operation of the Act; Parliament alone can do that. Tho Act was passed with only seven dissenters, and I have every reason to, believe that tho general opinion of tho country is accurately represented by Parliament." Tho Ministers will leave Grcymouth on their return on Saturday morning.

TWO MORE VESSELS LAID UP. (Pk» UNiTEn Prerb Association.) . WELLINGTON. April 18. •ii J u i • another important steamer will be laid up on her arrival at Wellin"--ton. The crew of the Komata. a coal earner, will be paid off to-morrow, and tho vessel will be laid up at AVellington.