THE COAL STRIKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14132, 11 February 1910, Page 3

THE COAL STRIKE.

WAGES BOARD SITTING. MEN WANT A SETTLEMENT. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. SYDNEY, Feb. 10. The sitting of the Newcastle Wages Board continued to-day, Judge Scholes presiding. Mr. Charlton, M.P., renewed his application for an adjournment till Wednesday. He stated that the minors’ delegates had authorised him to prepare their case for presentation to the hoard. In answer to tho proprietors’ delegates present he claimed he wanted the adjournment in order to prepare, tho miners’ case. Ho added that to show their strong desire for a satisfactory settlement, the Delegate Board had taken the advice yesterday and appointed five of its number, along with tho executive officers, to confer with the proprietors. They wore prepared to meet during tho afternoon, with’ a view to reducing tho claims and paving tho way for an early settlement. Tho men wanted to roach a solution of the trouble, and fix a day for the resumption of work. Mr. Charlton believed that if the parties once got together a settlement would bo reached in a short time, and work would probably be resumed next week. Tho president declined the application, on tho ground that no assurance was given that the men were going to submit their claims on Wednesday. Mr. Charlton thereupon announced that he must retire from the case, and walked out of the court. Later in the day, after hearing evidence in support of the proprietors’ claims, the president reversed his decision and granted an adjournment till Wednesday. Mr. Charlton later returned to court, and stated that the Delegate Board had met and resolved that ho again renew his application for an adjournment. They realised the necessity of an early settlement, though they could give no guarantee. He was fully prepared t? say that it the request wore granted it would (wing about a resumption of work at a very early date. The Delegate Board also desired him to ask the president whether he could see his way, in his capacity of a citizen, to meet the miners’ representatives. It was their desire to bring about a settlement. The president considered Mr. Charlton must have strong reasons for pressing tho adjournment. He therefore granted it for two reasons—firstly, in the hope of tho men submitting their case to the hoard, and secondly the prospects of a settlement as soon as possible. He also agreed to the request to meet the miners’ representatives. The board accordingly adjourned till Wednesday. Judge Scholes proceeded to tho Trades Hall to confer with the miners’ Advisory Board. THE CONSPIRACY CHARGES. ACCUSED FOUND GUILTY. SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT. SYDNEY, Feb. 10. The hearing of the conspiracy charges against Bowjing, Brennan, Burns, Lewis and Gray was concluded to-day. They were found guilty and each sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, Bowling’s sentence to bo cumulative on the previous sentence of 12 months. The Judge, in summing up, said it was no defence for accused to say they were in the service of tho Miners’ Federation, and as servants were carrying out the federation’s orders. The jury recommended all to mercy, on tho ground of their previous good characters. Each made a statement claiming that he was innocent, being unaware that he was committing broaches of the law. Bowling declared that the law as it stood made tho carrying out of tho duties of an officer of a union impossible and unsafe. Very few unionists knew what the law meant. He did not. If this was what'was done in a free country, ho wished to go back to Siberia or some other country where they did not talk about freedom. Brennan doubted if any men in future would be willing to pay tho price of maintaining the position qf working men in the country. Unionists would ho like sheep without shepherds. Burns declared that ho had always advised tho non-acceptance of tho Industrial Disputes Act, and would do so as long as he lived, because the Act was incapable of governing the work of minors. Lewis said this was the end of the men who had interested themselves on behalf of unions in tho State. Tho unions would become secret societies. The Judge, in passing sentence, said each knew he was breaking the law, and did it deliberately. As to no one accepting office in unions in future, all that such men had to do was to obey the law and then they would bo perfectly safe. Ho could not understand how accused could make tho claim that tho throwing out of many thousands of workers was acting for the benefit of humanity. He had taken tho recommendation of mercy into consideration in awarding tho sentences. NEW ZEALAND SYMPATHY. Per Press Association. TIMARU, Feb. 10. Mr. M‘Wslliams, the delegate of the Now South Wales minors, addressed a mooting here to-night, and received a sympathetic)hearing. At the close of

tho meeting a motion was passed denouncing the Wade Government, and agreeing to give all the financial help possible to the miners on strike.

PRESS VIEWS. ‘‘A DELIBERATE CONSPIRACY.” By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (Received Feb. 11, 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, Feh.J.l. The Sydney Daily Telegraph says in summing up the Judge vindicated tho industrial law by an exposition which ought to be of salutary benefit to those people who seem to think it differs from other law. The Sydney Morning Herald says under tho circumstances it is not to bo felt that Bowling has been dealt with too .hardly. Any reasonable review of the strike must impress the public with the gravity of tho offence just punished, which was a deliberate conspiracy to hold up the industries of the States. Bowling and his fellow conspirators, it says, set out deliberately to upset the constitution, defy the law, and starve tho public.