GOT TO BLOWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1923, 4 December 1913, Page 8

GOT TO BLOWS.

AND ENDED IN FREE FIGHTi (By TcleßrEßl;.—l'reas AcsCTlJ.tlon.l j Blenheim, December 3. Some days ago; the, men of tho Dominion Consolidated Mine at AVokamarina formed a -union affiliated with the Federation of Labour. An agreement was outeved into with the. owners that none but unionists should be employed since the outbreak of the present strike. It was decided to make a levy of one day's pay weekly by each man for the benefit of tho strikers: Several pointblank refused to pay the levy, and ilie men decided to "down tools" until the objectors were discharged. The- levy question is tho direct cause of flic strike. The mailer of wages is not entered into. Tho managing director declined to accede to tho demand of tho strikers that the men who refused to pay strike levies should bo dismissed. Consequent on this decision a section of the men became riotous. Arguments punctuiucd with blows developed into free lights. Tho manager's first action was to"pay off the snore prominent strikers, but to reinstate tho men it they agreed to sign on under the Arbitration Act. Tho men agreed, provided that tho Rfsfton rules were adopted, and that there was ro victimisation. Tho manager insisted on the right to refuse employment to certain men who had been the eii-use of the trouble. A deadlock ensued. Many of the men have already left the district. At the mine only six or seven resumed work out of a total of sixty. Tim chairman of directors dorr, not- anticipate a serious check to working the mine. "Hie battery is pow maimed by the bosses and a few loyalists.