ATTITUDE OF NEW ZEALAND MINERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 665, 16 November 1909, Page 5

ATTITUDE OF NEW ZEALAND MINERS.

SECRETARY SAYS NO STRIKE UNLESS OVVNERS EXPORT. THlj: OUTLOOK . 01 , PEIOES. '.. (Py TelDgrapll-Prces. AssoolaUoD.) Auckland, Nowtabor 15. There, ia rery little danger at the present time of the New Zealand cualminws cd-opcrat-inu with ths Newcastlo men to i tho oitont of , stviViiift. Thn attitudo of the'.miners of the Dominion ja one of passive sympathy, bo ipore, These facts were mnijo, qlear to a ''Herald" reprcßontative to-day by Mr. E. Manning, general. wore.to.vy of tho New Zoaland. MjMrs' FcdcTfttion. "Tho only.' danger of us deciding to 'go out' would be. in tho oTent of Now Zoaland mineown«H (ittempting tq ship ooal to Nowpaetle," aaid Mr..KTanning. "If nq'coal k expflfW jrplu lt«re, the Dominion minors are not likoly to {strike, I' consider that there is very littfeposgibility of any mioh .occurrence.'' ■■. I , ■-' stated that tb«'New Zealand ,Miners' F«deration had sent , the ■: following cablegram to tho New Sputh. IValw Mipere 1 Fefcrotioni swued liy the -president: (Mr.i B, Sernplo) and him.pelft , -' ■ ■■.":..'.'.'."■.,.. j'The New Z«eland, Mi»ere; Federtition nnanirooßaly tenders Jβ Wfl &58PW3 Us fijianetfu puppbrv .:,.,.•.: :■•-, J(r, Mftnning uoiiited out that H-vrns onlr in the matter of monetary, assistance—Wftiobi i or tha >'aj» had not je£ been". soushi—that

>«ew Zealand miners wqre prepared to Rive active support tp the Newcastle men. Nothing was hkely to be done hore tfl hamper tho Now Zealand trade. Asked as to the chance of the price of coal being raised to local consumers, Mr. Manning remarkca tliat in the light of past utpononco ho considered tho price of ooal was ali most certain to go up, He thought tho vory faot that Newcastle coal had to h« imported from Newcastle into tho Auckland Province pointed to tho likelihood of an increase in I rates now that that source of supply was out on, In this \ iew Mr. W. D. Holgato, managing director of the Northrrn Coal Company, differed from Mr. Manning, Mr. Holgate, speaking with regard to importation of Newcastle coa.l, contended that (here was no need fir it. The Now Zealand mines could sup. ply (ill demands if consumers hero would take tlleir ooal Im.tead of Newcastle, and it would lw better fei l minoowners nnd consumers as well as for the New Zcal&nd miners if thev did so, "In opy C9M," said Mr. Holgate, "there n no «ign of any increase in the price of coal yet." BIG DEMAND ON WEST COAST. (By Telesrayh-Prcsa Association) Westport, November 15. Tho Newcastle strike has produced an increased demand for Westport coal. Tho WcstpoTt Coal Compan) has ordeis for fourteen thousand tons this week, and is putting a double shift at the Millorton mine, The Railway Department is making big demands on the company. The union Company has ordered tho week's output of the Stockton Company and the Seddonvillc State mines. ' Both the \Vestport and Stockton Companies are advertising for additional men. A NEW WQDE OP STRIKE WAR, . CO-OPERATIVE COLLIERY. TO PROVIDE STRIKE FUNDS AND BW DALIT-PROFITS TO OWNERS The story of a pre-arranged scheme of cooperative working botveon the minors' loaders and a'col\ ry proprietor outs.de tho Coal \cni (tho 1 ners r combine)—thereby, dnniii; the strike \ 1 said proprietor will reap high profile, nud \ * miners will gather, tho einews 1 of war, by selling the coal at stri!;« prices—is 1 told with great elaboration in the "Sydnoy Morning Herald." Wβ quote from that paper's Newcastle correspondent, witting' under date 1 November 9, as under 1— r There has been 'great speculation here, both amongst the colliery proprietors and the miners, m regard to tho niyrterious lrnts given 1 by Mr I'eter Bowling that he tad prepared a ■ scheme whereby h* was to raise ,£6OOO per week to supply the miners with a fighting fund to cariy on the etnko. This schema was said to be a revolution .m industrial warfare, qnd it was claimed that it had ue?ei previously been tried. Many guesses have been hazarded ai to the source from which the income was to be Becuied. The vhoU) thing, however, μ-is kept a close secret, and it w.as not until today that whispers got abroad that have revealed the amtacious nature of. the miners' president's, plans. Mi. Bowling has. hit upon a daring anu Remarkable scheme, which if veuooessful will, bring in its trail untold misery apd neediosai suffering to many thousands of workers who ha\o no interest whatever in the coal trade. Ho sajs. he can raise i Tieek, and he. adds no timo limit, so that if this money is forthcoming tho strikers may bo, maintained indefinitely, to tho utter dislocation of legitimate trado in all directions.

with Oy/ner -Vend, ; ■: Enough has been gained of tho outline, of Mr. Bowling's eeheme to give a certain indication of his designs. His proposal is no less than' that the .foderatio.u''?hWd.'.gain,;possos-. eion of a certain colliery, work itin the mutuali interests of the, federation'. and the p.resen.t proprietor - with nnion labopr, and sell the oofll at.;the \exorbitant .prices caused by. the,stofc page of the output at the' other mines.. To use his own wordei he,haß;''had fpr'some years certain ideas as to; a particular line of" aotion whioh would enable the; federation to equip itself financially;and otherwise so as to 'meet the proprietors on fairly level terms," Aβ. the different Heme of the ; soheme;,are revealed ; it is shown ihat they. have secured recognition from'eome mjn«-owner;-or/other in the district, who has entered, with Mr, Bowling into what is almost a- conspiracy against the .public of New South Wales to 'continue :"b,disastrous strike - ., ,v-To make ■ euqb,;.,a- scheme, possible tho colliery first of all' inust be outi' side the Coal- Vend, aud its proprietors must also be a carrying company, having ships of their own , outside the- oontrol of the InterState Shipping 'Association, whioh is said : ; to: havo art undarstaiding with^: the'Cflal '.Vend,' ThoTO aro few s collieries which , have.; thia independenoo. The' details .whioh haya . been disclospdr howevor, point'•' to one particqlaroolliery. J. .■■ S-.v : ' \'.--: : i. '■ ■';■.;-■: : -' ■'>'~' '■[ Piij Someone, Know Btfpreliand? ' ; ■ V ■' It' ia; a. significant' : f act that ..certain men having an maide, knowledge of. this, ■ collie,rirs affairs have for the past three weeks been buying 'up a\\ available shares ip the. market:,. ' It., is ftlsp . significant' to note , that this, partio'ular odllicry has bepn buying' coal, extensively, and" has t> •' large stook op Band, vrhloh it is easing off at high rates. This all, points to the |aqt that.-.; a select few knew. of the impending strike, ;and that one man. had .-.definite information as tq the exact date of the upheaval, and laid his plans' accordingly. It :\s plftinly evident that the men who would work out such. a soheme Weie not aotu-; ated entirely by-the desire to assist the miners,' but largely' by; the,wish to- "get even" with, tho associated collieries,; from ■'.■ whom ; they have had' to'.take one," or' twq.severe less.qns: They .now see it■ ohaiice of retaliation; 'and "are. going to make-the most'of tho ■opportunity!; Tho arrangement : with the colliery/ federa-. tion has been' theVres.ult of deob-lald arid those Who have nVanagnd the ooup. must negesssrily Jia.vo ha'd exact- information as to the time at'whiohthe strike wae to bo called; So far their plaris have apparently, carried wo)J, and unless' a occurs .at the.eleventh hoiir, this audacious "siUionie will . Bo buooosih luHy: ]aunoh(id,;, ;■ : ■.'-....,■,.; ' ;-.,; : :./-.-::[:,:■■;_■ Gross; Proceeds, * 4514,P00 a ,AVeok. : " : ■

Tho mine (a i\hich everything points us being ooncorlicd in this move has not been very extensively ivorkod, pnd at present with qno shift tho output would make little impression on tho market. If worked with three shifts, however, under tho sanction of the Miners' Federation, it could without difficulty turn out 1000 tons a day, and perhaps moro if required. This would mean at least 7000 tons a wook. whleh would bo transported to tho nearest intor-Stato ports uhore the need for coal wae most felt. As already indicated, tho question of gea-carriage was looked to before the details wore arranged. This coal, at tho enhanced price oaused by the strllw, would be worth at the very least £2 pec tpii. That would mean £U.m a week, out of which tho proprietors of the mine would probably claim half, leaving, a net amount to tha ■federation of .£6OOO or .£7OOO, the exact amount referred to by Mr. Bowling. This sum would allow tho fedoratipn to pay to its 0000 members which it has on tho roll a ram or Over 10s. a week each, and also provido a fund for the maintenance of some of tho workers who hn,\e oomo out in sjinpathy with thorn. It will readily be seen that tho Owners of the mine in question would be proOUTing JBI a ton or pioro for .their coal ns asnlnfct tho ontside prico of lls. now obtained. This would onsnro a very handsome profit, anil piobably accounts for the eagornoss of o oertafu small cotcrio who in tho know to got Hold of tho shares.

OurMion of Strike. Before entering upon these arrangemcnU with tho Miners , federation there wae an. other aspect of the case to be taken into consideration. If the etriko lasted woroly for ono 6r two ireek* a profit of n few thousand poundr Tfould hardly compensate for tho consequences), Tyluoh would follow. There would cortalnly be a Breat outcry ttßoinfit tho ttiiko 'beinbroußht about for sneh. selfish ends, and when tho bueinoss.of tho coalfields was resumed in the ordinary way after tho striko was over, the opposition that would bo encountered would probably drivo them out of the field, There must, therefore, putting two and two together, have boon some assurance,that the etriko would be maintained for soma months; and to this end an understanding would nood bo arrived at with one of the principal ofOcorfi of tho federation.' That body would stand to to lose little, and flt tho end of a protracted strike would probably be in ,a position to make profitable terms with the Colliory Proprietors' Association. Tho owners of thit particular mine, too, would by that timo probablr liavo mado sufficient capital to rotiro from tho inrlnstry, npd ho indeponrtont of t'io otlier colliery proprietor Wh?n a chance liko , thin 10 mplco a repin fortune and oven np old Mores, presonted itsolf, it is easily understood Inat It \ronld be eagerly seized upon. liffoet on Worker* In General,. This is tho, doop-laid Echerac bd fnv as it affeote the minors on tho northern field and t'le proprietors ('but those who hav§ worked 11 out utterly dwrep»« dad Hu> attendant misery flluoh its fulfilmont would nntaij on thousonlls c other workeiß in the State who aro indirectly connected ivith the coal industry, The Biarcity of coal and the bicb prkw wIdSS

uoiild bo demanded for it would necessarily amp a far-rcaohing eifeot. Prolnbly many faotoncs would hare to b{ closed do«n, niiU workera in all directions would lose then employment They vpuld havo no ftinds behind them to ado them ever tho period of industrial upheaval, and widespread disaster would be entailed, , Tho other colliery proprietors liavo cvidontlv rocoived an inkling as to what is about to transpire, Information bus boen drifting their way piecoincali which has given them a good indication of the furn eventa hare taken. They ~> now find thttt all unknowingly thej - havo assisted in tho carrying ont of the scheme | for wnlun the past week several large stocks of coal have teen dwpqsed of by tfrom, and "nave reached tho hands of the persons concerned. It is very probablo that «tron#4florts will be made to bring sufficient pressure lo bear on the parties concerned to defeat tho ends aimed at.

GRIEVANCE?, AN OrFICIAL STJMMiET. Whilst tho northern miners complain of fl long list of separate grievances, writes the < " Sydney Morning Herald," the main grievance generally complained of is undoubtedly the continuous refusal' by the proprietors of late to redress grievances. Contributing causes were also the general shortness of work in the north, the existence of non-unionists in the mines (with whom the mcii were compelled to cavil), tho system of fines—and pcrhqps sympathy with the South ' Clifton miners ' Tno paiticularly impoitant causes wore, firstly objection' to the dismissal of Albort . Buron, at Hepburn; and secondly, tho fact that tho federation was having to pay way, large sums of money to peihaps, 20,00 membera out of work—tho average w,age going as low. in some cases, it is said, as Ids, a week. The local'demands and > grievances, as at piesnnt complained of by tho men, appear to be as follow in the understated rqin.es:— BACK CREEK. , Wheeler, drivers, trappsrs. and others complain that their wages aro too low, BORECOLE. Tonnage rates and conditions, aske_d, for ror fused, although federation offered to refer tng matter to auy Mntyisad penpn, Espionage complained of.' BURWOOD. Men not working under yardage ra.tes, Sick man * Conditions imposed in connection with tht machines. ' ' CARDIFF. Rates too low for decent living. DUCKENFIELD. Wheolprs, drivers, trappers and others com* plain or low wages, > G^EBE. One man at coal face called a labourer and , Other a, miner, and pa.y meted, out accordingly. * Conditions imposed in. connection vitH tf>f| maphincs. J i>l,, , Agreement to pay ljd. wtra for pillar < said to be not kept , , , , _ It is complied that the 15 unfajrlj interpreted, and nft as tho commission tended.. 4 \ > Special grievances us to hewing of coal, BIX'S OREIIK. Catch system'of weighing. "•' , SHORTLAND. Six weighbridges said to bo used fop *ii\ miners. . WALLARAII. - _ Howing rate for machine-cut;coaL ' 'WALLSENP. ' , Special grievance!) as \« stnall coa}, and ''jerry." 'a WHOLE NORTHERN DISTRICT, Eight hours bank to bank wanted. ' WHOLE MAITLAND DISTRICT. \ The men complain that tho penny'advance for each shilling increase in. the prw of coal (I»i4 down in Dr. Omen's award) Is a mistake, HEBBVRN, The chief trouble w b,or.e. Dismissal of Albert Burns, treasurer o| tht amalgamated cqal ivnd shale workers. Compensation tot lit ting bottoms neked {qt, HEDDON GRETA. 1 Shiftmen's wages complained of. Grievance)! linrcdrcased. , 1 )' . ' ■ LAMBTON, ,-i I Same yardage rates as at Borehole asked,. Conditions imposed in connection with tht machines. > LAMBTON B. , Men not working undor yardage ra.tos. One man at coal iuce called labanror, and tho othor a mmw, and pay motod out accord- ' ingly. . • ' .NEATH. > Altered'conditions complained of. It is said tho hea.m was formerly worked as one (ace, and 2s. VJd. h ton paid tor it; that later the face was reduced from 10ft. to 7ft, tho mpn ■ beipg asked to lea>e Bft. on top. Tho. nanaffO' men? qould lator ask the men to work this {at tho Iqwei rate ruling fpr tops) «t 2s. 5Jd. —sa\ing 3d. pw ton. TMs. chargo is thore(ore resisted. ' NORTHERN EXTENDED. , Working undor Teralba award. It ia oom« plninod that' tho award, is unfairly intar- / preted. Spooial grievances as to howing of coal. PACIFIC, ' This colliery is under the Teralba awnri ,