GREAT COLLIERY STRIKES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2654, 9 November 1909, Page 5

GREAT COLLIERY STRIKES.

TWELVE THOUSAND MEN LEAVE

WORK.

.'United Pituss Association—Copyright. ' SYDNEY, Nov. 8. 'Every coal mine in the northern district is deserted.

Twelve thousand men have left work. The suddenness of the strike is attributed to the faot that coalowners’ •stocks were low.

It is believed the railways have •enough coal for two months. The Gas •Company has a month’s supply, and the Ferry Company ,six weeks’ supply. The jnter-iState shipping companies appear to have practically am stocks. The proprietors believe the strike will last until after Christmas.

The general public are wondering to what the upheaval is due. Many miners themselves scarcely know what they are out for. Grievances they have always had, but no specific demands have lately been made on proprietors.

Mr Peter Bolin, miners’ secretary, speaking at a lodge meeting, said that indignity after indignity had been thrust upon members of the Federation right throughout the district. He had been told by the proprietors that they would just as soon fight them as not. The men bore these indignities until they could stand them no longer. They were compelled to cavil with blacklegs, and blacklegs had got work. The unionists had stood this for twelve months. The proprietors had tried to force them to fight, but now the men were ready to fight, and they would beat them. The decision they had come to was a dramatic one, and it was the only course left open. According to the advices of the executive, the stocks of coal were lower than at the time of the last strike. The miners had referred their claims to a Royal Commission, and a one-eyed judge had given a decision against them against the -weight of evidence. He mentioned that to show' how much justice they could get from a class-ridden judge. If ever there was a time to fight, this was the time.

PRICE OF COAL AND

ADVANCED.’

Beyond an advance in quotations for coal and firewood, there are no strike developments in Sydney yet. The waterside unions are considering the situation, but the officials decline to be drawn into expressions of opinion.

SEVERAL VESSELS LAID UP

(Received November 9, 1.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, November 8

The southern and western miners continue working, but delegates attend a conference of three districts tomorrow.

The coal lumpers and wharf laborers also meet on- Tuesday.

The northern miners to-day appointed a sub-coinmittte to draw np a list of the grievances for which they struck. The fact is that if the proprietors were to say to the men to-night “What are you fighting for; tell us specifically and we will concede it,” the men would have to postpone an answer until they had drawn up the list. Several steamers, including the Waitemata, have paid off their crews and laid up. Firewood has advanced 50 per cent.