BLACKBALL MINERS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17418, 31 March 1922, Page 6

BLACKBALL MINERS.

A DEPARTMENTAL NOTICE. ' (SPECIAL 10 "the PRESS;") GREYMOUTH, Maroh 30. There is some adverse comment m lahour circles on the action of the Department of Labour in informing the miners at Blackball that unless they work the back shift, ,cn Saturday, April Ist, in accordance with the terms of the award, legal proceedings will be instituted against them. A Press representative learned from the Inspector of Labour (Mr J. Lowden) this morning that the Department had circularised the unions to this effect, and intended to prosecute if the award was not observed. He did not say tha' tho attitude of the men was completely without justification. No one liked losing a half holiday, but there was a right and a wrong way of obtaining redress. Under tho amended Act, the unions were entitled to apply for alterations to the conditions stipulated ib an award, but if the Blackball Union choso to ignore the opportunity afforded i hem of applying to the Arbitration Court, they had only, themselves to blame tor the consequences. Under the terms of the State miners award, which was drawn up by a conference between the Departmental and union assessors under the presidency of Mr \V. Newton pome weeks ago, a clausa was incorporated giving the State; miners a short shift in view of the special conditions existing at Rcwanui. The present trouble arises from tie fact that / other mining unions are seeking to have a similar clause incorporated m their awards, but they are loath to apply to the Arbitration Court, to whicn the advanced unions are strenuously opposed.