ROA MINE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1928, Page 3

ROA MINE

RLACKBALL-ROA UNION. DEMONSTRATION AGAINST TRIBUTE SYSTEM. (Grey Argus.) Over 200 members of the Blaekbnlllloa Miners’ Union and a number of, women and children marched from Blackball to Roa on Saturday afternoon as a demonstration of protest against the introduction of the tribute system in the Roa mine. The weather was fine, and the procession of workers was an impressive and inspiring sight, as it marched up to Roa behind the two l»cal bands—the Silver Band and the Pipe Band. The Blnckball-Roa Miners’ Union is endeavouring to draw attention to the state of affairs at Roa Mine, and its well-organised, orderly demonstration on Saturday should help materially in achieving this end. The President of Blnckball-Roa Miners’ Union, Mr A. McLagan, addressed the assembled workers in front of the Miners’ Hall, when the procession reached Roa. He pointed out that the attempt to run the Roa Mine on the tribute system was one of the worst attacks on conditions that the miners had had to meet in recent years. It was a cunning move on the part of the coal owners to use members of the Unions themselves to break down Union conditions, and reduce the miners to slavery such as was in force generations ago. The demonstration, the President said, was not merely for the benefit of those present. It was a valuable means of drawing the attention of workers all over New Zealand to the menace of the tribute system. the Secretary of the Blackball-Roa Union, Mr AY. Balderstpne called upon the miners to take steps to prevent the tribute party from marketing their coal, as one means of defeating the scheme by which tlie coal owners were now attacking the miners.

Mr L. Smith, an ex-Roa miner, now at Dobson, outlined tlio events which led up to the formation of the tribute party at Roa. His reference to the “guardians of law and order” created much merriment. Mr S Dillon, Secretary of the Roa Miners’ Branch, in the course of. his remarks, proved conclusively that tie present actions of the tribute par > were strangely at variance with thenformer professed aims. The following resolution was then put and carried unanimously. ia this meeting condemns the tribute system of coal mining, and pledges itselt to fight strenuously for the retention , of Union control and Union conditions in the coal mines.’ ’ . . “The Red Flag” was, then played by Mr Mason, and after a vote of thanks , to the hands had been carried nc j clamatiori, the procession re-formed and j marched back to Blackball. Before the , demonstrators dispersed, three rousing cheers were given for Trades Unionism. The enthusiasm of those taking par was one of the most noticeable features of the proceedings.