NO GENERAL STRIKE FEARED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 73

NO GENERAL STRIKE FEARED.

SECRET BALLOT ABANDONED. (Faoic Our Own Correspondent.) GREYMOUTH, March 16. The miners are greatly elated over thedecision of tho Wellington Trades and' Labour Council to vote £20 and the Dennis- 1 ton donation of £50 to assist them in the present trouble. The latter vote is looked upon as evidence of Mr Hiokey's influence with the miners, with whom he one© worked. It •was at Denniston, says M© Hickey, that he lost hie job through the vigorous campaign he conducted against the Westport Coal Company fcr the imposition of a medical examination of miners', to which much strong objection had been taken. The ballot proposal has apparently been dropped from the union's demand. In explanation it is stated in some quarters, that this is due to the court referring to it ac a "silly proposal," and others aver that, it would offer no practical benefit even if conceded. To go over it the manager, would simply have to give all hands notice; and then re-engage the men he required. At a meeting of the union to-day Mfl Hickey telegraphed having obtained £5Q[ from the Denniston Miners' Un;on in support of the strikers. A motion was carried endorsing the continuation of the strike. The Greymouth Star to-night, after draw ing notioe to clause 15, under which anybody aids or abets a strike is liable to tf fine, says: —• " The situation can no longer be regarded as an industrial struggle. It ceased to be that in law from the time ihe Arbitration! Court decided that an illegal act had been,' committed. Therefore the miners* in continuing to maintain the position taken up prior to the hearing of the court are really setting the law at defiance, and it is oti this point that they should ponder before it comes too late. We think we gaugq publio opinion correctly when we say thatf it is agreed that the union committed a deplorable blunder in taking up tho attitude it did on Friday. Devoid of all side issues, the question is whether the law is or i* not to be paramount. On that question there is no room for arguing. The lawi must be upheld irrespective of class or, party. Such being the case, we hope that the Blackball miners will realise the futility of their present line of action, and bring to a speedy termination a situation that is undermining Ihe very foundation of cvu( industrial arbitration and conciliation system. The following telegrams have passed be* tween the mine manager and the com' pany's secretary in Chrislchurch: — "It is imperative that you find M< M'Cullough, of the Arbitration Court, amj aek him if he informed the miners thai the manager would make a. publio state* ment in court after the verdi-?t had been; read to the effect that he would noil victimise the seven dismissed men, also to ask him his reasons for giving die information that the manager had given, his word! of honour, but/ would not make any publia statement at the conferenoe on Thurbday afternoon.—(Signed) W. Leitch." Reply was as follows : — "Mr M'Cullough denies having informed 1 , the miners that you would make the statement in court. He has wired to the miner* stating that his recollection cf what happened at the conference was, that your having already made a promise in sucK a public manner, a 6tat3mrnt made in court; was agreed to be waived.—A. D. M'KellaE. Secretary Blackball Coal Company."