'THE GUNS READY.'

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 677, 30 November 1909, Page 8

'THE GUNS READY.'

—r — COAL STRIKE. '_ , i , MINERS' PRESIDENT TALKS OF RECORD '; UPHEAVAL. "COMPLETE SOMERSAULT" FOR PRIME MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Preaß Aaaotiatloni '» GKymouth, November 29. Tho "Grey Rivpr Argus," "from a reliable Xiource," gives the following report of a meetling'that took place at the Point Eli2abeth State mine on Sunday, with comments there70rtry ' Strike "of Short Duration. ,, , i Before the conousion of the Socialists' meet- • (xng at Bunanga on Sunday evening last, Mr. Semple (chaiiinan), who w president of the Federated Miners' Association, eaid he ov\ed It to the ladies present to make a definite statement in connection with the strike. Many people seemed to be of the opinion that tho i miners wanted trouble, but that was not so, as all they were doing was hying to got their rights. The women-folk would be the greatest sufferers if the stake were prolonged, as thoy would be in the potrtion of havmg to try to bnako a •shilling go as far as a pound would go ( •onothei time - / , However, added Mr. Semple; his ' „ opinion was the strike would he of short i ' duration, as if the Government did not / take action during the presetit week the Federation would do so next week, and New Zealand would then see the , biggest industrial upheaval ever known ' in the Dominion's history.' Tho guns were all loaded and ready, and it only i required tho pressure of a finger to firo tthem, and if that took place Sir Joseph ; Ward' would be knocked a complete •" iomorsault, from the effects: of which he would never recover/ I Wanted-JMQOO for Nothing. J "It will bo noticed (comments the "Argus") * that Mr., Semple does not. attempt the nature of the , 'rights' he talks so glibly of. JJe wants something that is unknown in the coal-pits of tho Dominion,- ho'wants something that will amount to .£IOOO for nothing m return. Ho might, with just as much reason, ! / ask that such profits as the mmo yields should , i be divided every pay-day among the miners (without returning any quid pro quo ,Tho whole thing is o barefaeedi attompt ■to blackmail the Government, which, to some Extent, the Government may be said to desene for the ridiculous, way in. which they have danced attendance on the miners and humoured v n 'them in the past Suoh subserviency naturally lad tho effect of making the coal miners lmagtine that they and they'•only are the people 1 . wf.-New Zealand." ' , r ■. General Strike Expected this , Week. It w stated on reliable authority that the hniners at Blackball and will hold a 'meeting to-morrow (Tuesday)'! to decide on ,Triiat action will be taken m_ regard to the v vetrike.'' Messrs. fomplei Hickcy, and others •have visited the localities and) addressed tho men. It; is\freely rumoured that tho result of I the*meeting to-morroW will be that the nuneis twill come out. ' , J , A great deal of opinion is expressed over the statement made to tho "Argus" reprosentatne by the secretary ot the ■.Waterside, Workers'" Union, that his union'would noi support tho etnke, and had on sympathy with it. < The ' secretary now domes "'the'statement," and'the raporte ris equally firm that he did make it. ( .Ai'epecial mcetmf of tho waterside, worker^ "by -requisition is called for Wednesday evening', to discuss the posrtioti; . From what can be gathered from" reliable' sources, a general r ' fully expected ; this week. _, /falling export.' :

■TCHAEP-LABOTEEKS' ATTITUDE. (By Tolerrtntk—Press AnoelatlotU Greymwth, November 29. There IB no alteration in ithe position in ropai to the stnko at, the State coal-mine at Komi Elizabeth. ' .Tho coal export last week felL by COOO tons, as a direct result of the strike. < ; A general meeting of the Minors' Union Trill bo hold to-morrow- morning. ' ~Tho secretary of the "Wharf Labourers' TTmon wishes to give a denial to a statement telegraphed on Thursday night that his nmon > ~ had no sympathy with the strikers. Eia t 'union, which is registered under the Arbitration. Act, gives no official expression of opini lon on the gnbjoct. 'NO EXCITEMENT AT WESTPORT." RISE IN PE&E NOT EXPECTED. According to Mr. W. A. Fiavell, local manager for the Westport Coal Company, who has just returned irom a trip to Westport, there was no anxiety or excitement, as far as he conld gather, among Iho miners there ovor tho strike at the Point Elizabeth Stato Mino Everything was jogging along the samo as ' usual Interviewed by a Doimnoi, reportci, Hγ. Havell stated that owing to tho extra demand niad,e b> the strike at Newcastle, the mines had been udvei Using for moie men, but thej wore not so easily got. > "When I was there," said Mr. riavell, thero was nothing to indicate any likelihood of a spread of the stnko to JYestport, nnd I do not think it is at all likely that there will be any trouble at 'Westport." ( Asked abont of a rise in the ptico of coal, Mr. Flavell ventured tho opinion that he did not think there would be a rise if matters remained as they now. It was qinto true thst there had been an extia demand since the strike at the Stato mine, but that had been caused to a good extent bj the bunker coal required, and (ho dtioand of the industrial people heie who imagined that tho. strike might spread, It is the oest part ' of the yrar as far as householders are concerned, as people use less coal than at any other time of the year. Are you supplying the increased demand of tho industrial people? "No, w<< can't Host of tho coal is supplied under contract, and we cannot, at a day's notice, increase tho output. Tho first difficulty is to got the men, and, having got them now faces have to be opened up ior them to wort at. Supplies for Admiralty. I noticed a telegram to the effect that vou had sent a cargo to the Admiralty at fie mantle "Yes, we still supply the Admiralty. I would not say that \he Premantle cargo had anything to do with the strike. It was an order that would ha\e come in tho ordinary course of business. We 'also send cargoes to Garden! Tsland (Sydney), and Hobart" You say that your company and other companies are .advertising for men Does not that meyi that the strike could go on and the stnJrers could be worbng elsewhere* asked the reporter. at Westport, and all they have to do is to 1 come a ong from Greymonth and take up work I don't know—l don't think thev wmiM ,« , that Nothing of. t> fand ed t to the timq I left" , J 1 , Good Men Will Not Stay Under £1 a Day. With regard to wages', Mr Fla-vell stated that the average wago cam«d by the Westport Coal Companj's mmis was about 14s a day There were somo, however, who would not etay on under .CI a day—good men who knew their business thoioughly. Those men wore on piece work, of course, and knew how -to prepare for a fall that wonkl mean the maximum every time. If snch men pet on to a patch of the right kind of coal they, cou'd and do make splendid vcagts ' ' '

GRIEVANCES. i, AN AVEBAQE EAENIKG OP Mβ. id.' A DAT. ' Tho "Grey Eiver. Arg.ns" eafs.-"The. upheaval at the State mine, ,wo aro credibly infonned, has long been planned, and efforts made to got the msn at the other mines in the district to pledge themselves to follow the example of tho State mine in the event of their 'downing, their,tools.. Brimner refused to entertain the proposal, odd had.to submit to language a good deal woteo4;han»waajsiid-_"toj».ma(k>rtts<>

"of "-'at'Blaekball.' The' Runanga executive ate said to have, been prepared with several points up their- sleeve, so that:if'forced to abandon -orieth«y : ;j*uMfall'back upon another. It is not:at all surprising that.when.the the: liberty of 'deploring strikes of an- unwarrantable nature it is immediately stigmatised i,as-M man.,. Yet the press isr never' found wanting in sympathy,oi, support when, labour has a real, grievance. ~' - ; f;But,the : evidence, is. too abundant to show th'at.'aa 'long as the miners have paid secretaries who do but little or no work, so long will; they develop, into mischievous agitators and cause trouble. So, far .there is not a whisper frpni Eunanga that the miners are suffering, from, any'kind of grievance whatever—unless that,an average earning of 16s. 4d. a day is such , a grievance, as to:-justify, going out: on strike. Theabsenco of any declaration as to grievances, and the perfect silence the miners are observing over tBo affair wonld seem. to show, .that they ; know, they have •no grievance that - would 'stand exatriination in the light'of common sense. Hence the order not to afford the press any information and; trust entirely to the general hindrance to .trade and industry through the'want of coal to fight the battle for.them.",. . ~ ' -.- . , ''.: ■ ~ .'.,/. OTHEE MINEES NOT TO BE ASKED TO ■;•■■■■■!;.•' "'■ ;■' STRIKE, "AT OTESENT."- ~ ■'-:. Mr.'Semple,-president of the. Miners' Federation, iwisVasfced a- "Grey roouth Star" reporter whether he bad seen the report in the press that' Blackball; and' Paparoa had been asked if they were prepared to come out, also Brunner, and that the first-named were willing to do:.so. ;:He stated.definitely that they .had never been asked: to come out, and that they did.not them at present.; ..- : ;,^:' ; : DUNEDIN COAL PRICES.'- ' ~ '■-.' IBi Telisraob—Preii Association.) ■'■ '■'"'■■:■)'■■ -i , ' - .,:-'■'•• ;- ' Dunediri, November 29. ■Ttie Dunedin coal merchants have fairly good stocks of Newcastle coal, and consequently have no-immediate intention of raising prices. They, .will^Bwait,. developments.'' ".'...■•; ■ - ■'■■>. ■■