BLACKBALL MINING TROUBLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2140, 16 March 1908, Page 2

BLACKBALL MINING TROUBLE.

A .SERIOUS DEADLOCK

TRADESMEN REFUSING CREDIT

Press Association. G PLYMOUTH, March 15. There is a complete deadlock at Blackball over the strike.. Everything was in readiness for work on Saturday, ancl the mine officials in attendance, but no miners turned up, and tho mine was closed. The moil aro determined to stand firm and fight the position.

At a meeting held it was decided to canvass for support, and Mr. Pritchard was appointed to canvass Christchurch, Dunedin, and the rest of tho South Island, while Air.- Mackey appeals to 'Wellington, Westport, and Nelson. Efforts are being made to got the Tyneside and State colliery miners to come out, but at meetings held on Saturday the proposal was not favorably received. It is freely rumored that the Blackball Coal Co. intend to close their mine down until the railway from Ngahore to Blackball is completed, and in the meantime to go oh erecting new lines. The manager has notified the miners that all the agreements and. concessions agreed to by him are off, and the miners claim that the decision of the Arbitration Court is too severe. On Saturday evening everything was quiet, and no public speeches were delivered. The whole affair is looked upon as very serious by the business people of Greymouth, and the Blackball 'tradesmen have stopped all credit, refusing goods unless the money is paid down.