BLACKBALL MINERS' STRIKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13661, 27 March 1908, Page 5

BLACKBALL MINERS' STRIKE.

CONTRADICTORY REPORTS. • ALLIED , UNIONS MAY JOIN THE 1 STRIKE. , . 1 . V fPer Press Association. GREYMOUTH, March 26. t There are persistent rumonrß that* negotiations are, proceeding" for a sett tlement of the Blackball minefs' strike,; The manager states that, as far as ho.* knows, such i$ not the case, and th.*> miners deny any knowledge of what, is. going on. There is a feeling abroad that the strike will spread. The Blackball Unioi^ has appealed, to the Tyneside miners, and tho Wharf, Labourers' Union to cease work. The Tyneside miners are-, holding a meeting on Saturday aftcr^i noon to consider the matter. „ An old miner, one who has worked vvat~ t the district for many years, states that, there is a good deal of discontent among the Tyneside miners, and he woula not be .surprised if they considered the Blackball' request favourably. ,The. cause of, complaint with -•' l-o Tyneside miners is that Blackball boats are being supplied with Tyneside coal. The result of the. meeting on Saturday will be anxiously awaited. ' The , Grey wharf labourers meet on Sunday afternoon, and the 'posit iff 1 will be considered. From interviews with several prominent wharf labourers, therjß^praa«s n*reason to Relieve that they will "til row down their tools, . as requested bj tha ' Blackball ininors. " . . -1 The position looks serious. The Blackball miners are as determined tucker. If negotiations for a settlement ore proceeding, it is.pecuUar th,at letters should be sent to tlie miners and wharf labourers asking them to strike. SUPPORT FOR THE STRIKERS. WELLINGTON, Maroh 20. Mr Hickey, representing the Bla^k* ball Miners' Union, addressed ab »v« 200 people in the concert room of the Town Hall thfe evening in explanation and defence of the stand taken r,p by the strikers. Resolutions were j»ass,ed as follows :^-(l) That this meeting endorses the action of the miners of Blackball in the stand, they have made", and trusts they, will, continue tolioM that stand until they have .secufed full righ*;^. that thil weeti^ pledges itself to prevent the. strikers of Blackball being' starved out; (o) ihat this meeting has no confidence in any laws placed on "the Statue' Book in the making of which the-, tr,oxkers ,:>re not consulted. . ■ . [' The sum of £4 10s was^QC-ll^cted iv the hall for the maintenance < of th& niinexn? famjjHes.^ .t >; ; % , NEGOTIATION* UNSUCCESSFUL. PROCEEDINGS I TO EXACT; THE ' FINE. . ,\. . ' WELLINGTON, March .27. Information has been received here that the negotiations for , the settlement of the Blackball strike have fallen through. - ,• .- \*\ „ .instructions Have been gfyea by tjae Labour Department to collect the fine ,6f £75 imposed on the union by the ,AVbitration Court. . If tb>lfi*.ehs tot paid by, the union, the' men 'will be proceeded against individually until the amount vs. collected.