870 MEN AFFECTED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 25

870 MEN AFFECTED.

BOTH SIDES WAITING. (F*om Ora Own Cobaes^onsentJ , GREYMOUTH, January 4. To-day witnessed the commencement cf' what may prove the most bitter struggle which has been waged here between capital and labour for- many years past. No less than 870 men, whose daily earning power is £400, have been thrown out of employment, -whilst in 12 mines all work as suspended. In a nutshell the whole trade of the Inangahua County threatens to become paralysed as the result of the deadlock, which, "will be particularly severely felfe in Reefton, whose inhabitants almost solely depend on the money circulated per medium of the miners employed by the* Progress Consolidated and other less important companfes. Both sides are playing a waiting game, and no movement has, in consequence, been made. The companies intend to remain inactive, holding that it is tbs duty of the Government to interfere and proeecute the men for creating a strike. On the. other hand, the miners are anxiously awaiting a reply from the Government as to the State Department accepting the risk. After a reply has baen received they will confer with Mr P. J. O'Regaa on the subject. Chattiag to a Star reporter, Mi- Robert Semple -stated that the executive of the Miners' Federation had under consideration the question *of takintg a case to thei Arbitration Court, charging the companies with creating a deadlock. He reiterated the intention 'of the federation desiring to pursue a peaceful policy. . The following are the number of men. engaged in the different mines-.— Progress mines 320 "Consolidated mines 230 Keep-it-Dark 60 Big River 60 Low-Level Tributaries ... 20 Caledonian 9 Ulster 9 Big River South 7 St. George 3 Total (about) 870 Apparently the men_ are preparing fnp a leng struggle, as there is a rumour in town to-day to the effect that Mr P. H. Hickey, of Blackball, may visit Austialia, seeking sympathy awl support. The employers issued instructions to the engine-drivers to get up steam as usual, but as they had to undergo a medical examination they did not carry out the request, and, siding with the miners, refused to go to work. No men turned up at Blackwater, where everything passed off quietly.