BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 396, 31 March 1908, Page 3

BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Other Unions Refuse to Cease Work. Greymoutii, March 29, The Blackball miners were greatly disappointed on Saturday when the Tyneside miners, by a large majority, refused to strike. Delegates from Blackball arrived to attend and address the meeting, but were refused admittance as they were not members of the Union. Mr Russell, a director of the Tyneside, and also a member of the Union, attended the meeting, and pointed out the great loss that would be incurred by the mine being closed down. The vote against striking was 78 to 12. The news was leceived in Blackball with disgust, it being understood that the 'l'yneside miners would stand by the Blackball men. A meeting of the Wharf labourers’ Union was held this afternoon to consider the question of striking out of sympathy with the Blackball miners. It was unanimously decided not to strike, and that a levy of 5 per cent, on the men’s total wages be made for the maintenance of the women and children. The sum of os 6d was collected in the ball. As a result of recent developments, the position in connection with the Blackball strike may be slated as follows : The Blackball miners demand half an hour’s crib. The Government have commenced proceedings against the Union to recover the fine of ,£75, failing payment of which the miners will be proceeded against individual!} 7 .

The Brunner Miners’ Union has emphatically refused the request ol the Blackball Union to stop fulfilling Blackball orders, and by an eight to one majority decided that they would take no action in the matter, and would remain at work, being well contented with the conditions under which they labour. The Westland Trades and Labour Council refused to unconditionally endorse a remit from the Stale Mine Union asking for the removal of Judge Sim from the Aibritatiou Court. The Trades Council recommend the Minister for Labour to introduce his Industrial Councils Bill next session, and have it passed into law, believing this will tend to prevent a repetition of the trouble now being experienced at Blackball.

The Grey Wharf Labourers’ Union refused to entertain a proposal to stop loading Blackball boats. In contradistinction to some other Unions, Brunner Union agreed to allow the presence of reporters at their meeting. The President of the Union presided over a meeting of about 100 miners. He explained that many of the married miners had gone to Greymoutb, as was their usual wont on Saturday, being quite satisfied that the miners would not tolerate a strike. Subsequent events proved this surmise to be correct, the voting on ihe motion that no action be taken on the Blackball request being 85 to 12 ; or, with the president and secretary counted in, 87 to 12. All absentees were dead against a strike, but even of the 12 minority not one advocated laying down their tools. In fact, they made no secret of it that they would not be a party to such a request. The Minister for Labour (the Hon. J. A. Miller) states, regarding the Blackball trouble, that the position at the present time is ‘ ‘ that the Government has made a demand for the payment of the fine imposed by the Arbitration Court. Failing payment thereof, the necessary legal action will be taken.” ‘‘The Government has no power to compel the men to go back to work,” states the Minister, “nor the owners to open their mine to work. There is no such law in this country, nor in any other, so far as I know. Where people seem to be making the mistake is in thinking that a strike is a continuous offence. I have had best legal advice on this point, and I find that the strike, when committed, is an offence within itself. The law has been broken immediately it takes place. There are others again who seem to think that action should be taken against the Unions which have been contributing money to the support of the strikers. In this they are labouring under a delusion. Aiding and abetting an offence consists in the doing of something either prior to or concurrently with the committal of the offence, and not after the offence has been committed. The offence being complete within itself when the strike has taken place, subsequent action cannot aid and abet in the committal of an offence which has already been committed. The Government is exercising all the powers given to it under the Act to see that the award of the Court is enforced, and is giving the men time to consider their actions before doing anything. So far no effort has been made to comply with the order, but the Department is at once taking the necessary steps to enforce it.”