THE GREY VALLEY UNION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 22 October 1901, Page 4

THE GREY VALLEY UNION.

At a meeting of tlio Grey "V alley Gnion held in the Buck’s Head Hotel on Saturday the following business was dealt with s— , The check inspector’s report for the month was received stating the mine was in good working order. A new industrial agreement was drawn up for the ensuing year and deputation appointed to lay it before the manager and endeavour to get it through as before without troubling the Conciliation

Board. The Secretary was instructed to draw the Government’s attention to the urgent need of a State coal mine in this district. In speaking to the resolution some very strong language was used about the method adopted by the State Mine Commission while in Brunner.

Mr Eussell stated, in answer to questions, that it was a fact that two men had been purposely sent on the lulls behind Brunner to locate some coal seams that were supposed to be there. It was alsou fact that those men had brought back samples from four different seams each of which is workable and of good quality so far as the ordinary tests go. One of these seams is six feet thick, and is visible where it outcrops at the surface for a mile in one direction and half a mile in another and it can be traced the whole of that distance. This coal was located and the samples brought into Brunner especially to lay before the State Coal Mine Commissioners while they were in the district and as an inducement for them to go and see the coal for themselves. Those Commissioners' knew this was done and when they came back from Coal Creek they came to Brunner by one train, walked to Dobson, and left for Grey by the next, without anyone being aware of the fact that they had gone. He thought Brunner deserved better treatment from the Coal Commissioners especially as they had left this district where there was coal in abundance and a railway to take it to the seaboard.

The meeting unanimously resolved that the samples- of iho coal fonfm bo forwarded to Mr A. R. Guinness and that he be informed of tiro proceedings already taken.