BLACKBALL MINING TROUBLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2134, 7 March 1908, Page 2

BLACKBALL MINING TROUBLE.

MINERS’ UNION AIEETS,

"•-w,.Press Association. X- ~VMOUTH, Alarch 6. The Arbi. . iflr.liii .yt will sit here on the lltli i_ v.j-_ A meeting of . day. The proceed!. Amhi'S moi closed. v.i STATEMENT FROAI THE LABOR DEPARTAIENT. Strike matters are quiet in Blackball, and the miners are awaiting the development of events with fixed determination. Air. Lomas, of the Labor Department, forwarded to Air. Pritchard, acting-secretary of the Blackball Aliners Union, yesterday, the following: “The Court of Arbitration has fixed Wednesday, Alarch 11th inst., for the hearing of the proceedings instituted under section 1-3 of the Industrial Arbitration Act- Amendment Bill, 1905. Under sub-section (b) of section 102 of tho principal Act, proceedings in a breach of an award may be taken either by an Inspector of Awards or by any party to the award. I am instructed by the Alinisterof Labor to inform you that if you desire to submit any grounds upon which you allege a bre>cli of your award, or of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act has been committed by the Blackball Coal Company, these grounds will be at ouce considered, ind if they disclose a prima facie case against the con ;>any, I, as Inspector of Awards, will institute proceedings, to be heard on Wednesday next, before, with, or ai ter, the pending proceedings against your union, under •ection 15 above referred to. I am ilso directed to point out to you that mder the said paragraph (b) above nentioned your union may itself institute proceedings against the company or any breach of award, or of the bet- your union may complain of. I hould be glad to hear from you at -he earliest possible moment iu reply o the communication.—J.. Lomas, hief inspector.” The Blackball miners are in reeipt of mess ays of sympathy and 'ffers of support from unions all over he Dominion.