A COAST STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 674, 26 November 1909, Page 8

A COAST STRIKE.

STATE MINERS IDLE. THREAT THAT TROUBLE MAY SPREAD. ALL READY BUT BRUNNER. IBj Teleeraph—Presi AaeodaUonJ Greymouth, Novembef 25. The "Star" correspondent telegraphs that fears are entertained at Eunanga (tho township Oα the railway connecting Greymouth with the State coal-mine at Point Elizabeth, where the etuka exists) that the strike will spread if the trouble is not settled in a day or two, THEIR DEMAND OR NOTHfNG. 1 MINEES LYING LOW. IB».;T«l«graob,-Pree« AenelaUoD.) Greymouth, November 25. r An. unofficial statement indicates that tho minora' executive, at the State coal-mine at Point Elizabeth some months ago submitted a proposal for one penny redTrctxm s in the hewing rate, provided the management did all trucking. The minere, inwoven , , refused to confirm this Several times attempte havo been made to : bring about a compromise on this issue, but EQch efforts always proved abortive, the men being in no humour for any compromise The} {want thoir demand or nothing Tho miners' meeting "yesterday lasted over two hoars, but no commnnioation whatever was made to the press. Both sides ars *lying low," ■taking no action whatever to bring about retonpbon of negotiations. ALL, MAY STRIKE BUT BRUNNER, \ "SOMETHING WILL'EVENTUATE." STATE MINEES SEEK "ADDITIONAL j POWER." ,' i (I)j Teltiraob-Prriß Association 1 '' » Greymoath, November 25 Matters in connection with tho strike at the * fiiate coal-mine at Point Elizabeth arc being fcept very quiet, and the executive, by resolution, decided not to supply tho preso with any -mfonnatioa. 'The management are also reticent (r There are rumours that eomethmg will eventuate in a day or two unless a settlement is , arnwd at At the State mine tonnsbip everything is quiet, but it is well known that the miners are working to gain additional poner .io force their claims on tho Government '■When, approached for news, the ' miners ,*fatte that they are' playing a waiting game, ■«nd expeot the Government to make sa early move The miners at the State mine tespress a determination to fight tho issue to •the end, and are prepared to stay out for a couple of months, if necessary, and hold that,' , with the holidays approaching, they are contafc to wait. } . . 'i ■ , /Bninnerton Cold.-Olher Colliers in Sympathy. ( One of the influential members of tho is reported to have visited' the .Bninner, Blaoiball, and Papatoa mines, and to .have addressed the miners with tho object of getting them to come out. > From what' oan ba loarned, the representafcae received a very, cold reception at Brunner, 1 men deciding; that they ,woro content to «intinne work This is a small matter, as the output of the Brunner collieries is only Bomo 250 tons weokly. < ' _ At Blackball.-aings are not so bright. There ( is a strong feeling in favour o£,rtho State miners,' and it is 'freely rumoured that the Blackball miners will cease wbrk on Saturday. _ At tho Paparoa mine it is said the men aro fe sympathypiand i are prepared Jo lay do^n their tools on Monday. ', ,Tho, State mmets state that they will not give way, and will show the Government that t , they havo power to enforce their claims. - Wharf Labourer's not Sympathetic Spoakmg.toithe!secretary of the Wharf Labcnreis' 'Union, a representative of the "Argus" was informed that the wharf labonrers would not assist the" miners, as' they had no sympathy -with the strike... ' ' , On application to the manager the reply was ttcerwd. "I have nothing to report' , j All m quiet, and the , miners are playing a (waiting game. If one can judge 'from the , genjSral opinion expressed, all the miners on the Jicoast, with the exception of Bninner, will be tout early next week. I . •■EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE STRIKE. V, • THE NEGOTIATIONS. \ (By TelcEraDh-Pr-ss Association)

m. . , Greymouth, November 25. In connection-with the State collieries shike . M the present juncture the history of tho |QBgotmtions -will be of interest: From one of Sthe leaders of the miners,-the "Star" reporter gleaned the following facts.— ■■ \ {Threepence or One Penny? Abont five months ago the old agreement expired, _ and negotiations were immediately entered jnto for a new one, tho old working conditions lemaining in force until the new jttopasals had been assented,to. At tho time (tto Miners' TLaion executive presented their demands, which, besides a number of minor alterations, embodied the greater one-that the management should undertake all the trucking and Jigging in tho mine. After some parleying the executive agieed to recommend the men to accept the reduction of Id. per ton in tho Jiesnng late, provided that the management undertook tho tracking and jigging? and accopted the other proposals as asked for bv the man,. . Li reply thereto the management asked for so. or eight weeks to consider the suggestion. To ttis the excdntive 'agreed On tho expiry £ f J" at J t!rl0(1 another conference was held 'totween tho management and a\ec«hve, whereat the former submitted a proposal of 3d. per ton reduction in the hewing rato of tho N majority of hoights, the miners to truck • twenty yai da and tho management to undertake tne remainder. .Men's Ultimatum, Following this a mass meeting of the miners Tfas hold, Tfhen they 'refused to agree to the proposal. At tho meeting they earned a resolu-, tion giving the manager forty-eight hours in I ■which to agree to the proposal that he should undertake all trucking ancf jiggmg without any reduction in the hewing rate. Noxt morning (Tuesday week) the secretary of the union presented tho ultimatum to Mr Bishop and ' there matters remained for that day. 'On Wednesday, another conference was hold, whereat the manager submitted an exhaustive Btatement of the suggestion from his departments pdmt of view, contending that under it the mm<rs would reap a great benefit, and that the cost of the department would be a considerable item Next morning (Thursday) the secretary of the executive wrote requesting an wt??w* y W* i m - that bem e the konr at which tho ultimatum expired. A reply was re™f"f? ?" ? n ? Or ,t of ' thc augleihon was Tiot fully understood: Tho-secretary answered that i meant t hat the executive had full power to call out ,the men if necessary. To this no / reply was received. At i p m. that day a mass meeting of minors eomwg off shift was held, when a motion was carnod confirming the previous resolabonnamoly, that tne matter be loft in the hands of tho executive, with power to act The result of the mens deliberations -viae mado known to tho management on Friday morning and tho manager requested timo in which to consider them. The delegation asked if it would bo possible to have an answer that evening The manager replied in the negative, as also to a request for a statement on Saturdav morning, as it would be necessary" to go into ' matters and consult tho Department Eventually, it was agroed to lot the matter remain open till Monday morning for the receipt of a reply. i Manager's Compromise Rejected. , On .Monday another interview took place, whon the manager submitted a material revision of pneos, with a reduction in tho hewing rate ' Tho eiccntivo wore not prepared to accept this, holding that the management should do the trucking and jigging. They could not effect a <wmpromiso in any way. A mooting Mas to iuwo lioon held that afternoon, but, at the toannger's request, it did not eventuate, as he had other business to attend to,-and it would be noeessary.to'consnlt with Wellington. , Agiin the-oiecotoe-stated that thoir position J

was: & .precarious one,. as they had a direct mßcdate : ,from' the miners ordering that work be v stopped, if ■ the reply, were unsatisfactory. , Ail answer ;was promised by 'the- morning; and the .delegates-proceeded to inform the miners how /matters stood;.. They , found the afterapon.'. shift congregated °n the railway,- near the eurgqryi.i'andVan'.informali meeting was.held; i whereat the■yrevious. resolutions were con--; !flrmed,'.fOn' Tuesday mornins the. executive , again.- intarriewed, the ■ manager at his -office, and'fonnd that a reply'had not been received from Wellington.. They decided to. await its After about thre? hoars'; delay; at l;lsp.mi a reply was received/ and the manager ■ made known its cbntentsT-nanioly, that Cabinot Buggested'that the matter.in dispute be submitted fa the Arbitration Court or Conciliation Boardvfor; settlement. : ',.• • .: ...'■'■'

Th'o executive briefly stated that the mandate at: the meetine was that, the; men should ■ lay down." their,, tools in the eyqiit of a ireply. being unsatisfactory. ; That. decision would • thernfore have to be given effect to.' The meeting then terminated, and a pre-arranged signal was given whereby all work was brought to a standstill. ■; ; OAMAEU guPPLIES.;: ;: : :. .■;'■• .- : ■■■'.•.;.■.-, '■■'.' ' ■ Oamaru, November'2S. V ■ local'coal dealers do not anticipate' trouble before the end of January or February; when a .thousand' tons of Newcastle ,coal will be re- , quired for , threshing purposes. That amount >as expected, to .arrive: at. theV" end of' the month, , Dut owing to the strikethe steamer left empty.' While Westport coal must act as a substitute for threshing operations, it is anticipated that a shortage may ocour. At present thefe are good local stocks, and'no'rise in .price is expected, though some householders are laying" in ■'-. stocks, ■/:..[ ■ •: ■ "'■:■■ '. ■'