THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2189, 13 May 1908, Page 3

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

DEFINITELY SETTLED. ORDER MADE AGAINST THE STRIKERS. (Dress Association.) GREYMOUTH, May 12. The Blackball strike is definitely settled. There are no details. AUCKLAND, May 12. Tho Blackball strike was settled this afternoon. A general mooting of tho Union was held at 3 o’clock, when the following letter was considered from tho manager:— “Ngahero, 12th May. “AValter Rogers, Esq., “Secretary Millers Union, “Blackball. “Dear Sir, “Re striko As you aro awaro, tho only matter in dispute between your Union and my Company is tho matter of the working of 10 hours by truckers. This difference will be cloar when tho terms of both parties aro quoted in full. The terms of tho Union are as follows: “(1) Tho reinstatement of sovon men dismissed on February 26th and a promise by the manager that lie will not victimise them. “(2) Tlirty minutes’ crib timo bo allowed. “(3) Two truckers in important positions to be allowed to work 10 hours when required, and miners to do the trucking for the extra two hours when wonting 10 hours. “The terms of tho Company aro 1 and 2, the same as the Union’s terms, nil conditions to be the sarno ns before the striko, and in accordance with tho award of tho Arbitration Court.. (As this clause affects your terms,truckers to work 10 hours when required). Now, from the above it will be clear that we are agreed on tho Ist and 2nd ’ clauses. Thus the only one in dispute is tho 3rd, and therefore if a suitable arrangement- can be made with regard to it the dispute is' settled. Fortunately for us, but unfortunately for its sufferers, a state of affairs has come to pass which enables us to work the mine two shifts por day, and as there aro a large number of men out of work at Brunner, I intend to find employment for them if they wish, and at the same time'increase the output on tho mine by working a double shift, thus obviating tho necessity of truckers working 10 hours, and therefore doing away with tho 3rd clause of both our terms, and I am pleased to say settles tho strike on conditions suitable to both parties. We will commenco working on Wednesday, Slay 13th, with a single shift, and will immediately advertise for tho necessary men to work the double shift. On Thursday or Frday wo will cavil for places, and on Monday following commenco the double shift. “Yours faithfully. • “JAMES LEITCH, “Mine Manager. It was decided to accept tlie terms, and resume woi J k>as stated. . In the Arbitration Court tins morning Mr. Justice Sim made an order against 166 individual members of the Blackball Miners’ Union, providing that each of the persons named in the schedule forthwith pay to the Inspector of Awards their proportion of the fine of £75 imposed on the Union, but no one of the said members is to be liable for a greator am-ount-than £lO. A copy of the certificate is to be sent to the Clerk of Awards at Hokitika to enable - the Inspector of Awards to take action at law immediately. WELLINGTON, May 12. Iu reference to the Blackball settlement, the Hon. J. A. Millar is informed that in consequence of the Tyneside mine being flooded, the Black-ball Comnany liad decided- to work two shifts. This at once disposed of the trouble on the point of truckers overtime. Tho half-liour crib time had already been conceded. Mr Millar .presumes the Company will be able to employ all the men from Tyneside .and the fifty or sixty miners ..who remained at Blackball till the end- of the dispute. Altogether the strikers -numbered 156, but the majority went a.wav from tho district. “The strike has- shown .that the law in regard to aiding and abetting wants amending,” said the Minister to a “Times” representative. “Any union wishing to have the right to strike can. cancel its registration under the Arbitration Act. and register under the Trades Union Act, hut bv registering under the Arbitration Act they voluntarily surrender the right to strike. It was clearly the intention of the Act, when passed, that no Union registered under it should devote any part of its funds towards tho support of its members on strike. Therefore .it is- a parody on the whole thing that while the Union is debarred from so using its funds, another Union can supplyfunds to maintain the strikers.”