MINERS’ STRIKE

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 38

MINERS’ STRIKE

CO XFEREXCE I^EFFECTIVE. WESTPORT, August 20. A conference between the managers of the coal mines of the West Coast and the executives of the mining unions was opened at Westport yesterday. There were present the mining managers at Oenniston (Messrs Brown, Milligan, Marshall, and Smith), Granity (Messrs Dunn and M'Cormack), Stockton (Messrs Crowe and M'Avoy), Seddonville State mine (Mr James), Blackball (Mr Left eh), and the mining executives at Denniston (Messrs Diamond, Brown, and Hunter), Millerton (Messrs Uowgrav, Newman, and Williams), Runanga State mine (Messrs O’Rourke and Arbuckle), Stockton (Messrs Alexander and Niven). Blackball (Meters Finch and Scott), Paparoa (Mr Knight). WESTPORT, August 21.

The conference between the mine managers and miners’ executives over the Blackball strike, held at Westport, has proved abortive. Neither party feels inclined to give wav. The visiting delegates will return to their homes to-morrow. It is understood that the miners’ delegates will place the position before their respective unions. GREYMOUTH, August 22.

The conference at Westport between the representatives of the various coal companies and the Labour unions regarding the abolition of the “dog watch” at the Blackball mine proved abortive, and a complete deadlock now exists.

The companies claimed the right to employ six pairs of men in the headings for development work, no coal to bo hauled in the shift. The unions claimed to limit tho number of men to two pair. The future steps are very uncertain. In tho meantime negotiations for new indus-

trial agreements are in abeyance. Nothing definite will be known as to the miners’ intentions till to-morrow, when a meeting wi 1 bo held. GREYMOUTH, August 23. No settlement has been arrived at in regard to the Blackball strike, and the mine is still idle. BALLOT DECIDED ON. GREYMOUTH, August 25. A mass meeting of miners was held at Blackball yesterday to receive the report of the delegates to the Westport conference. The outcome of the meeting of the delegates and the miners is that a ballot was taken to-day of all the Coast unions on three issues. The Blackball men decided to abide by the. result of the general ballot. The town of Blackball is described as quiet, and as presenting a deserted appearance. SYMPATHETIC UNIONS. WESTPORT, August 25. The miners’ unions at Granity, Dennis ton, and Stockton yesterday referred the “dog watch” difficulty to the Federation Executive to deal with. The Blackball steamers are being loaded at Westport. To-day there is a marked feeling of uncertainty throughout the district, but the balance of opinion favours a probable peaceful settlement. The Granity Union resolved—“ That this meeting of the Granity Miners’ Union ask the Blackball miners to put the dispute unreservedly in the hands of the I National Executive of the United Federation of Labour; also, that we urge the federation to take up the dispute. If not, we will make common cause with the Blackball miners in the dispute.” CRITICAL SITUATION. MINE OWNERS FIRM. (From Odk Own Correspondent.) GREYMOUTH, August 25. It is generally recognised that a very critical situation has evolved out of the ; Blackball miners’ demand for the abolij tion of the “ dog watch.” The mine owners are thoroughly determined to decline the request, and not even the threat ■ of a general mining strike will move them | from the position they have taken up. On the other hand, tho miners are taking a secret ballot on three proposals, the j exact nature of which has not been divulged, though it is generally 1 relieved ! that they relate : —fl) To an unconditional ■ surrender; (2) refer the matter to the i federation ; or 3) a general strike. Possibly the federation will discounten- ' auoe drastic action, but its hand might be forced by the more militant section of miners. The Granity miners, for instance, i are quite prepared to ‘‘ down tools” in , sympathy with Blackball, and such a step j would merely be a prelude to a general cessation of work. The next few days are pregnant with grave possibilities. Either we shall have a general stoppage of coal mining operations or a jx-ace temporarily patched up. The situation is by no means reassuring.

Daring the hearing of a divorce actlofl at the Auckland Supreme Court last y/ttk Mr Just ice Cooper took occasion to protect against “forced” marriages as the beMl solution of the difficult position that s<stn& time’s arises. His Honor said seemed to think marriage was expedient to legitimatise the child. “In my experience,” ho added, “such unions almost invariably end in unhappiness between the parties, and in numerous cases a subsequent petition for divorce.” One could understand why parents were anxious that a child should not carry the brand of illegitimacy upon it through life, but in case of marriages there was incessant unhappiness. He did not say what course should be adopted under such circumstances, but marriage was always a dangerous experiment.