STATE STRIKERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 683, 7 December 1909, Page 8

STATE STRIKERS.

Sir,—la bour leading l article of Wednesday y°u say: In the present case, the strike, so far as can bo gathered; is, perfectly, lawful:My experience m connection with similar strikes at large Lnglidi collieries, leads mo- to query, the opinion'quoted aboye. and,l would particularly refer to .one of taany cases , which have come .under my immediate..observation.. . • A' strike occurred.'at a',: Lancashire colliers (with which I was connected at the- time),'aid the. men s representatives interviewed ■ the management. It was pointed out to them that, in the absence of. any agreement bo the, contrary, under Common la® a notice,' equivalent in tune to the period oovered by wages' payments —in this case, fourteen days—must be given before the men could legally oease work, and .that, by going on striko without, having, previously given days' notice of their intention to cease work, a breach of contract had been rammitted,: for Which damages could be claimed. iTlie men-thought otherwise, and it' was mutually agreed to take the case to Court to - test the. question ' in a perfeotly friendly manner. After hearing, tho men were declared by the Court, to have committed a breach of contract, and the damages claimed were awarded, payment by each striker to bo made within 48 hours. I was present when payment was made at the colliery office. Similar test cases have been taken,in various coalfields at Home, .with corresponding results to those above referred to., . In the face of this, it-iwould appear that the strikers at the State mines havo. actually committed a breach of contract by neglecting' to give proper legal notice, of their intention to oeaso work, and this being, so,, it is the duty o.£ the Government, to take action' on similar toilioso quDted, not only.,ia the intorests of the Mines Department as employer, but also in ' the interests of employers and employed alike. in every branch of in'dustry ' carried on in the Dominion —I am, etc.,' . JOHN HAYES, , ' • Mining Engineer. November 25, 1909. . ,■ '