LABOUR TROUBLES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 458, 15 May 1909, Page 2

LABOUR TROUBLES.

Wellington, Yesterday. In regard to a report from Greymouth that a strike is threatened at the State Mine extension works because the engineer removed men from the tunnel into the open face, which action was resented and reported to the Union, that body in resolving that if the three men are not reinstated pending enquiry, the Union would give 2: days’ notice of intention to cease work, the Public Works Department states that it has received advices to that effect and the Hon. R. McKenzie, now at Gisborne, has been asked by telegram what action shall be taken. About 400 men are employed on the works which are intended to connect No. 2 State colliery with the present railway line. There is every.' prospect oE a strike at the State mine extension works. . A

The authorities ' last week dismissed three men from the tunnel works without giving any reason and a meeting of the Union was held on Saturday night when the following resolution was carried: —“That if the three men were not reinstated pending an enquiry, the Union would give the district engineer twenty-one days’ notice of their intention to cease'work.' 1 It was decided that the president and secretary (Mr , Fry) interview the district engineer with a view to ascertaining if an honourable settlement of the dispute could not be arrived at.

They . held several ( interviews with him but these Jvere of no avail, so yesterday morning, acting on the instructions of the meeting of the Union on Saturday, they attended at the Public Works Office and served Mr Lewis with a formal notice that the Union would cease work in twenty-one days from that date, if the three men were not reinstated.

The secretary of the Union states that the engineer has no fault to find with the work done by the men, but complains of the way they spent their money after earning it.