THE MINERS STRIKE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9653, 5 January 1910, Page 5

THE MINERS STRIKE.

United P-ess Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Sydney, January 4.

The Industrial Court has granted leave to, prosecute Peter Bowling and Hutton, the Northern miners’ delegates, Butler, the president, and O’Oonucr, the secretary of the Goal Lumpers’ Union, under Mr vv’ade s new Act, for taking part in a strike meeting on the south coast a few days ago.

The case is to bo heard at Sydney on Tuesday nest.

Judge Heydoa hoped lie would nos have to try Bowling, with whom he was associated for several mouths on the Royal Commission, and whom he learned to respect for his mental powers and for the open strenuous way in which he used his reason in discussion.

Melbourne. January 4,

Six thousand tens of Indian coal for tho r&iiwaya have arrived by the steamer Irish Monarch.

A POSSIBLE SETTLEMENT

Received January 5, 9.25 a.m. Sydney, January 4

The continued idleness of the miners and mines, whjch is now announced will not again work during the strike, coupled with Mr Bowling’s repeated assertion that the strike is approaching settlement, lead to the belief that important developments are likely as the growing opinion is that Mr Bowling intends to advice the minora to accept a Compulsory Board as a means of settling grievances. Several Northern Miners’ Lodges after addresses from Mr Bowling and other leaders, adopted resolutions supporting Mr Bowsing and the Congress. The Coal-lumpers’ Union carried a similar motion.

MEETING OB" UNIONISTS IN

AUCKLAND

Press Association, Auckland, January 4

Mr James McWilliams, vicepresident of the Colliery Employees’ Federation, to-night addressed a meeting oa' : the New f South Wales mining strike from the men's point of view. A collection was taken up, and the meeting passed a resolution of sympathy with the miners, and a protest against the arrest of the strike leaders. Mr Tom Long, president of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council, said the struggle in New South Wales was likely to find a parallel in New Zealand in a reasonably short time. Mr Manning,"secretary of tna New Zealand Miners’ Federation, said the organisation of the New Zealand miners had been strong enough to instil a little bit of fear into those who would dominate them, Nevertheless, the local miners did not know when they would be in the same position as the Newcastle men. He could not too strongly denounce the action of the capitalistic Government in the manner it had arrested the strike leaders. The arrest was deliberately calculated to bring disgrace on the men by making them shed blood. It was a devilish attack upon their good feeling. The miners of Waikato got 3s 3d per ten to cat coal in the solid, while merchants got 10s a ton to shovel it out of the trucks and deliver it. The coal vend was having its influence in New Zealand as in Newcastle. It cost coal-owners £560 to meet the requirements of the Government in respect to pneumoconiosis, and they charged the public £B7OO. The Hon. R. McKenzie had said the State miners earned 14s Id per day, but out of this they had to pay for certain things, and their actual wage was 11s 2d per day. It was said that Stats mines did not pay, hut they had reduced the price of coal by 6a per ton, and that was a good bonus to the public, their owners.