BLACKBALL MINERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 22

BLACKBALL MINERS

THREATENED STRIKE AT BLACKBALL. T WELLINGTON, January 13. Information received by the New Zealand limes to-night was to the effect that there is a threat of another coal mine strike. the information is that there has been some trouble in the Blackball mine. It. is _ alleged that two men have been victimised, and the men want them to be reinstated in their jobs. It is understood that the other side are willing to reinstate one of the men, but not the other. The decision of the men at the mines is to strike subject to approval by the federation, but hopes of trouble being avoided are held out. STATEMENT BY MR ARBUCKLE. “ EIGHT TO THE LAST DITCH.” WELLINGTON, January 14. In connection with the coal-mining trouble at Blackball, the miners throughout New Zealand have, according to the federation secretary, decided upon “united action” as from Monday next, as a protest against the alleged victimisation c. two men by the Blackball Coal Company. The form that the '“united action’ w i i take is nut stated, but it is not thought that the miners will stop work altogether. I lie matter has been under discussion since November, and the dispute has been narrowed down to the two men, Henderson and APLaggan, M'Laggan being the man referred to as having visited Ins invalided mother in England. Negotiations between the federation, the Blackball Company, and the Mine Owners’ Federation, have been proceeding, and investigations have been made on behalf of the Government. Now the crisis lias been reached, the company having declined to reinstate Henderson under any consideration, although it is willing to take M‘Laggan back. Tho Blackball miners have been going slow ever since the dispute commenced. To-day Air Pryor, secretary of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association, wrote to Mr ArbucJde, forwarding a copy of a letter from the Blackball Company, indicating that tho company is willing to re-employ APLaggan, but will not reinstate Henderson 1 . Mr Pryor’s letter proceeds: “I have referred the whole matter to the executive of this association, the members of which unanimously support the Blackball Company in the attitude it has adopted, it must be understood, however, that M'Laggan will not be re-employed until a definite arrangement is made that the ‘go-slow’ policy now in operation at the Blackball mines shall cease.” In its letter the Blackball Company enters its protest against the unnecessary introduction of the “go-slow” policy into this matter, and it demands an immediate cessation of the same without further action of any sort arising out of this incident. In reference to Henderson, tho company alleges that he was admittedly guilty of foul and filthy language towards one of the company's staff, and consequently the company states that it cannot reinstate him on any condition. In the course of a statement made to a reporter to-day, Mr Arbuckle, secretary of the Miners’ Federation, said: “I wish again to place before the public the position which has been created by the Blackball Coal Company in victimising two members of the Blackball Union, Henderson and M'Laggan. These men are good miners, and clean-living men, and the union lias tried all means in its power to settle the dispute and to have the nun reinstated. The company refused to reinstate i he men. so the case was handed over to the federation, which in turn placed the matter before the Coal Owners Association. The Coal Owners’ Association has endorsed tho action of the Blackball Company and the policy of victimisation. On receiving' tiie decision of the coal owners, rather than cause a breach that, might involve the whole of New Zealand in industrial trouble, I, as secretary of the federation, approached the Prime Minister and placed the position before him. Mr Massey decided to send the binder-secretary for Mines down to Blackball and so obtain a full report on the matter. This was done, and the report is now in the hands of Mr Massey. He has full particulars from each side, and the report most say which side is right and which is wrong. The public has a right to know the full facts, and these can be given if the report of the Under-secretary is made public. It is oniv a fair request to ask that the report he published at once. The company now agrees to reinstate M Laggan, but will not reinstate Henderson. The miners feel that thev have taken every possible means of settling this dispute, and, having failed, they will 'take united action on Monday next, and will continue that action until the victimised men are reinstated. The Miners’ Unions and the Federation will fight to the last ditch against victimisation. especially against such a deliberate and vindictive victimisation as is shown iri the case of two Blackball men. We deny that Henderson was guilty of foul and filthy language, and we defy the company to prove this charge against him.” UNDER-SECRETARY’S REPORT. WELLINGTON, January 15. With reference to the charges of victimisation and the now threatening trouble at the Blackball mine, the Minister of Mines (Mr Massey) has received from the Undersecretary of Mines (Mr A. H. Kimbell) the following report: — Pursuant to your verbal request that I should focus the statements made in my report in regard to the labour troubles at the Blackball colliery I now give hereunder a summary as to the position:— Angus M'Laggan.—Arising out of the inquiry which I held at Blackball on December 22. the company has offered to re- ' employ M'Laggan, but on the understand

mg’ that his case is not to form a precedent. William Henderson.—Trucker, formerly employed at the Blackball colliery, but whoso services were dispensed with in November last for using bad language to the deputy whilst underground. Henderson admitted to me having used bad language to Mr Anderson, but he would not incriminate himself by saying that he had used any particular words. He also intimated that he was prepared to apologise for using offensive language, but he thought the deputy should also apologise to him, but the deputy declined to apologise on the ground that he had nothing lo apologise for. The evidence adduced by both parties before me was very conflicting. A number of the company’s officials stated that they had never heard tho deputy use had language to any workman, but he did swear at things such as trucks, timbering, etc. On the other hand, four or five workmen stated positively that they had heard the deputy swear at men frequently, but the deputy denies this. During the whole of the deputy’s employment at this colliery, for a period of a Kttle under 18 years, the deputy said ho nad never known of any complaints having been made by any of the men as regards his language. The evidence tendered by the deputy was not, however, quite satisfactory, in that a number of his statements were conflicting, and I am not satisfied from his own evidence that he was altogether free from blame in this matter. it wa3 stated at the inquiry that if Henderson were re-employed the whole of the deputies employed at this colliery would resign. It was ulso stated by one or two of the deputies that they were freouently called “ pimps ” by some of the workmen That expression they took strong exception to. They had now taken up Henderson’s case, apparently with the object of endeavouring to put a stop to the use of abusive language against themselves. Henderson was practically dismissed bv the deputy for using abusive language towards him, but Henderson pleaded that he did so under strong provocation, because, according t:o his statement, the deputy first used bad language towards him. Special rule No. 57, included in the second schedule to the Coal Alines Act, 1908, as amended by section 7 of the Coal Alines Amendment Act, 1908. prescribes that no person shall use threatening or abusive language towards a manager or other official of a mine, nor shall any manager or other official of a a mine use threatening or abusive language towards any person employed in or about a mine. it was, therefore, competent for either Henderson or the deputy to take action in court in connection with this case, but neither of the part.c-s has taken any action. Summed up in view of the whole of the circumstances, I find it is impossible to come to. a definite conclusion as to this case, but it does appear that differences such as these should be settled locally, either by the union and management or by seeking the intervention of the Magistrate’s Court. It should not be overlooked that Henderson has been, and is still working as check weighmnn at Blackball, his wages being id by tho union, and not by the company. There is no sign among the Kaitangata miners of any active sympathy with the threatened strike or go-slow movement further north (writes our correspondent), and they av» unlikely to participate Tn it in any form.