WILL NOT PAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 149, 26 June 1931, Page 6

WILL NOT PAY

UNEAIPLOYMENT LEVY. WEST COAST MINERS. EMPLOYERS IN QUANDARY. [ Per Pre?s Assuciat! a.j ’ CHRISTCHURCH, June 25. Interesting developments are expected on the West Coast following a decision made by the miners’ unions in the district not to pay the unemployment levy. Jt is stated that all the unions in the district took a ballot on the question on Tuesday, but apparently the decision was not made known until to-day. The decision not to pay tho levy threatens to aggravate ' the present trouble on the field, and the miners’ employers, who are obliged bv the Unemployment Act to see that‘their employees pay tho levy, are wondering where they stand and what, steps the Government will take to see that the Act is enforced. The legislation forbids employers from deducting the levy from the miners’ wages. A manager of one mine pointed out to-day that the fact that the Gov eminent itself was a large employer of miners made the situation more piquant. There has been no further demonstratio) at Blackball by members of the Blackball Miners’ Union against the small party of co-operative miners who are working the Blackball Coal Com pany’s freehold property. The boycott of the picture theatre in the township continues, and on Tuesday evening;, when members of the union went into the theatre and found tha* there were present children of the co-operative party, they again returned to their homes. There is no likelihood of the water siders at Greymouth taking up an attitude similar to that of the Westport watersillers who refused to handle coal mined by the co-operative, or tribute, miners, for the coal taken .from the Blackball co-operative mine will be transported by rail to Christchurch.