LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13532, 29 February 1908, Page 5

LABOUR.

NEWCASTLE COAL TROURLE. DEADLOCK IX THE SPECIAL COURT. Pre-,s Association-By Telegraph-Copyright SYDNEY". February 28. A deadlock has occurred at the special Coal-mining Court. Counsel for the. miners intimated that the Miners' Committee had decided that the Commission, was not tmpowertd to take evidence in camera, They had decided not. to hear evidence in camera on any consideration, and all the evidence must be given in open court-'. The. president held that the Commission was empowered to take certain evidence in The- Committee's att!itud(e was untenable. They were making a mountain out of a. molehill. Later a witness ,on behalf of the owners, declined to give evidence in reference to the financial position of the company, excepting in camera. The miners' counsel asked for an ad--1 journment to enable the miners' weutive to consider the position. The president adjourned the) Court for a week, and said he hoped a wiser counsel would prevail with the miners. IRONWORKERS' STRIKE. Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright Received 11.10 p.m., February 28th. SYDNEY. February 28. The ironworkers' assistant at Mqrt'.s dock struck against the employment of five non-nnionifts. ' POSITION AT BLACKBALL. Per Press Association. GREYAIOUTH, February 28. The nosition at' Blackball remains uncleared." 'No work has been done to-day. The Company have only enough coal to fill one steamer. : ' The manager, interviewed by a Greymouth ." Star" reporter, stated 'hat the Company ; desired to work ten hoirrs per day. 'giving"the men overtime. This was refused, and when eight hours' were again worked, he had to dismiss some of the men who couid not have been profitably employed. This morning a meeting of the Miners Union was lu-ld. when Mr -lsdelj. .if the Labour Department, not hied the Union that the Company wene prepared to allow the men to resume work at once; and the dismissed men w«mld be reinstated. The chairman of the Union read a resolution passed unanimously at the previous meeting', and sent to the manager, that ho 'member of the.' Union will resume work in th'e mine until the men dismissed are reinstated; and the loss of tinie from the time, of dismissal be refunded. He pointed out that the last clause was ignored by the manager, imcV the ■meeting agreed to hold out. ' A deputation to the manager informed him tlint the milieu agreed with the proposal to reinstate, but in order to prevent men being victimised had decided that in the event of the management! having to dismiss hands owing to any cause whatever the men are to be dismissed by ballot..- The manager refused to-agree, stating that he. wished i o' keep in the district the married men who had built up homes. The Unirtn then -unanimously decided to return to work until some ar.iangemenfc is made to prevent men being victimised. No further development can take place tomorrow, 'as the meeting, adjourned till Monday at 10 o'clock. • The' Hon. ili- Millar telegraphed for particulars, so'as'to ! ijudge if a settlement could be. arrived at'without going to law. The telegram was not well received. Mr Lomafi, of the 'Labour Department, telegraphed that he was leaving Wellington by the first boat. Telegrams of sympathy and offers • of support were received from the Denniston, Brunner, Tyneside, and Granit'y miners. Mr Edward Tregear, of Wellington, telegraphed his sympathy. Mr H. M. Fitzgerald," a Socialist organiser, delivered a speech last night at Blackball, urging the men to stand firm. The township is quiet and orderly.