THE BLACKBALL STRIKE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9214, 18 April 1908, Page 7

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE

THE EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION. Mr W. PryoT, Organising Secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Federation, spent a few hours in Timaru on Thursday, on his way. to Dunedin, to make some preliminary arrangements for organising a looal Employers' Association in Tiiuaru on his return. Mr Pryor was seen by a "Lyttelton Times" representative in reference to the Press Association message from Dunedin in Thursday morning's papers, giving some resolutions passed by the Dunedin Association in regard to the Blackball strike. Regarding the first resolution, Mr Pryor said that the Advisory Board or standing executive had been seriously considering the advisability of protesting against the unfortunate inactivity of the Government in connection with the Blackball strike, and considerable pressure had been put upon it by employers in various parts of the dominion to do so. It was, however, thought best to give the Government ample time to take action on its own. initiative. Quite recently the Minister of Labour had been privately approached on behalf of the Federation and informed of the general dissatisfaction of the employers and their hope that he would pub the law into operation to reoover the fine imposed on the Blackball Union. Mr Millar had replied that the Government would go as far as the law allowed] but so far there >had been no sign of any steps being taken. The Board would doubtless now take some further action. iThe Federation had been urged to institute proceedings against the Unions for aiding and abetting. A difficulty hatt been created by the Attorney-General saying that the law as it at present stood will not allow him to take action, while Mr Skerrett, K.C., had advised the Federation that any party to the award could institute proceedings for aiding and abetting if the Government did not. The Federation, not being a party, could not do soj but if the Blackball Company did so the Federation was prepared to take up the matter, employ counsel, and bear the expense. An offer' bad been made to the company and a reply was expected in a few days. Employers all over the dominion, Mr Pryor continued, had expressed disapproval of the Attorney-General as a member of the Government taking upon himself to interpret the law. It ought to be tested in a court' of law. With regard to the last resolution, there yma no question that the Act was still on its trial and amendments had been proved to be necessary. Employers recognised the value of the Act, so far as ita provisions were equitable and impartial, but there were defects in it that called for remedy. In spite of these, employers recognised that its operation had been an improvement on the old system under which the strike and, the lock-out were the only means of remedying grave grievances or settling serious disputes. [Per Press Association.] OAMARU, April 17. . Mr T. Pryor, the secretary of the Employers' Association, telegraphed to the Hon J. A. Millar on Wednesday, protesting against the employment of some of the Blackball strikers on Government works. Mr Millar replied that he had made inquiries and found that the men employed had been opposed to the strike and were married men — the agent had put them on unknown to the Department. Instructions had been issued that none of the strikers or those who had been employed about the mine were to be employed on Government works. Mr Pryor thanked the Minister.