MINING TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 411, 21 January 1909, Page 7

MINING TROUBLE.

: ' CRISIS^AT HUNTLY.

iAN EXTREMELY SERIOUS POSITION WILL.THERE,BE A GENERAL STRIKE? ATTITUDE OF THE OTHER, UNJONS. -JBT aBMtOB»kVB-'rUBSa-ASSOC!A.T!QN.) ':' '".. '.""''" Huntly,'January"2o. Tho mining dispute at Huntly has reached an extremely scnous, stage—in fact a crisis has-been reached which may cause a simple grievance 'to"oxten'd"rnt.o , ,&tt upheaval-that would affect tho whole Dominion.' .The Taupiri Coal Company having been informed by tolcgram this morning that the men would not he satisfied with anything less than the,, reduction in. of tho wholo of tho four men about" whom tho trouble has arison, decided \m decline to eo reduce tbo men in question. A telegram to Ihjs effect reached the secretary of the union truVmorning.' No meeting was held and no action taken, so that the deadlock continues, and meantime the men arc quiot,' though a sullen disposition,'' allied with a spirit of resentment, js beginrsintr, to show itself., ~ ~The~present attitude of the union is that matters shajl he left in abeyance until Friday, when a meeting will be held to discuss tho whqle situation. If by then the com- - nany has, not changed its attitude, or some other solntion heen found, the union will make arrangements for a projected strike. So far no outside assistance has been sought ip that connection.

'.TKe secretary "of the. union (Mr.'Manningy/:' .states, that 4he message.from';..the\Of aEOj/i ;'Uriiori"-fco-..the «ffect:.that; that':body;V>i cn.nnot.seo its way to co-operate with •■tha'-vj iHiintly- miners,':.isV,Qp'etLto ' 'It would," he S!\TS; A'arinear from' this, inea^: ■ sago■ that tho Huntly; Union had .asked WToporation ih'the.present: state.,-'rindithatSfl is not: so," The question as to'.whether.tha'QJ JOtago Union would; co-operatp was; pn't;.:iiv;:y: connection \with tho :driqirial .trouble .'as '■:>;; medical examination. \W»havn not : y«t had ' j assistance:frQm- any- outside.umon.". : He '■in-;% timnfod;' however;'• that"if' assistjinpp ;is \re~ J : i nuircd it will ha rity of tho unions in the Dominion. ■.Y-.H'feS

In this connection n r telop"rtm Has bemv'rfl--coivpdfrpnuthji president'hf the.Miners' Fed-i nratinh at Greymouth (Mr. H. Drossinc regret: that ino, settlement 'has.been. irrived ■ at,.smd : urging the Huhtlv men 'to st,i>.nd;,iinn, : besides- hinting ,that the'i other; nmons''wiU'assist''tl)o'mr';;.■';"'';'-" 'V. : r :'J': of ai snip-; ; tiorij'*wh'icn*- ; nnlv- ? seems men concerned voluntarily resign. If 'thejr.?"di3-r»l?^oibh<te-Infltt«tti';?ii-3i,R n ut«;"' such; ni back: wajr.es, etc., would be unlikely tp'vsfaridiiit the way of a. •settlement. ■ Meantime,Huntly; is quigt,'thoiieh. there pi" sub: rosa rumour?. .tihitt. a, certain, section'of. the .men may resort' to ;differehi>; tactics I 'if theMstniggle: longed much'.-longer. K/?rVi. :^u

—CENERAU STRIKE SPOKEN OF.

_.'.; AJTITJipE. OF JHJ^p^O ; ,UNION.# W . ; ■ :'.'■;'■"' ">"> Dlinddliii' 20.; At a general meeting of, the-Otago Coal-, Hi; miners' Union, a telegram.was received from.: ■•i: the general secretary of-the .New Zealand '■';£■ Federation of -4liners,. askjng_what„cb.Bnoes \ > <A were :thero'ofTthe. union" taking: part' in/3. '■: -1 .general-fitrjkel: :■'.-■;■.• ■'; '. : : j ,: : ff: " %. .rosßlp-tlfln;? frifs: parried, with .only two. '■':■: .'dissentients,' informing' the •:■ federation that;.. ; the-unio^.-intended--to stand,:by:the Arbitra-;■ '■ U tidSiCJ^ftto .any .troubles-that might;"::-' ; ."-;/■ '.' :;-"-\\; ; ' .''>■:, '■'-'• : :' : '::.'S:?: "'• qiiijiifiguestipn. of. tho union joining the^ed-' -V 'erattpn-pf•Miners.was'ibrought up, and, after'■:?)' it .was rosolved,; "Thai;, in view .:-.: ofc'flie affairs, ;b vmcmbels'.wupt'see'their way.clear to.ioin - v %W: r t ctiorStionK'':^. ;' ;.; ; ; : : V:•,,--'. ■;■ J:, : , "That? tnisj 'ttec^tigt|3o'w^''t6-iexpress-its 1 : --"i.! ■hearty 'app'rdcfaliotf'of;the''Prime'Minister's "-,.■"■. . at-titudeUrqi^djng.^ ire stron'glyof-opinion that;heis deserving ■:■"'? of tho, best, thanks/: of ;all ~;right-thiokin^'!. workers/ipf ■:/.'':-/; ' ..The^xneeting'expres'sed.'sympathy.with'the ■■'■"'/ 5 fdr<sd upon -/ :/ tliem,"and-.decided-to Strike'a-;2}' per cent.: : ' .levy for ; th.eir; ; henefltTd,uriiig' ilje-'troflWei ;,- : H v,^V- 7 AI.L ; pjJIET. : ArREEFTON.-':';; .^f : i ISM v •■■' 5"« i^R'ieiton,, January; 2o. ■ t -Everything-.ia, : ;passing- ..off. quietly.".-; !Hha; ii 'nHries'are be'iftfi;pU'tnped but 1 and made work-# ~ nblc.'; Several falls ocourred. during the spell:,!;; :: of nearly four, weeks. : . Oh .these-being, re.;',.;: -medied -tho-mon-ari: gettingi.b.apk --work;-" _ngain. v is no trouble, and": all : ar?.-'! jh^girfjly.glad of: the,settlement."r '..; -■■;>-..;-v;. MWr-Zpi. 'Cf/ S ■' '"-.... -'.'■■■: :• . :■■.■.'}" i■• . .■' : . : -.: J : ;--'e ::sr^v- C orrespondenfc . writes:—-In connection':?: i\viyi^thovminorsyroubl<c'at;Huntly,:Tshould.: i' names of ..th'o'four .;.' -;min9ra;7wh6^'undeJwent^th.e : ;.modioal esamina- ■■'•': ' cionj* and' thus 1 obeyed.' the'law, and appnr-v.: i^tlyr.MsvvjlljiJg : these :men' ; v>; or=suffer- in any. \ way I-/, ■'thmk.thoy-'desorve a -national' testimonial for 'their'.'loyalty,----"-." —.■•■■ •■■,■-■:■■-.■■■: ~ .-^,,-.j,. ;..■,.;■;.