AT MANCATINA.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 80, 20 September 1912, Page 3

AT MANCATINA.

When the executive sent this "Vag." out on the present mission I cannot say I was over delighted with the prospects in front of mc, and I must admit now it has not been all "beer and , skittles." Many places'we have visited we have rot been received as the long-lost brother —rather have we been looked upon as tax-gatherers. However, our visit to the West Coast has made up for the rebuffs we have received elsewhere. Man gating—who on the East Coast ever heard ot that until Hartley went) there? And yet if the workers knew what a kindly crowd there was up there they would fall over one another to go. True, like the jouruey to heaven, it is a long and narrow path., and one must not falter or side-step on that path for fear of being sent to another place. Through, what appears to a new chum, miles and miles of tunnels with a full truck of coal on your left passing down and an empty one on your right travelling up, a narrow path in between, your guide with a flickering, smoky lamp in front; you roll slightly and a full truck brushes the coal off its side on to you ; you shift over a bit, and an empty truck reminds you to go straight; and all the time your guide. is cheerfully telling you how often those trucks' breakaway andcome'rushing down, smashing everything in front of them. After what seems hours of going up, up, up, yon at last come out in the open air, and the guide says, "Mangatina." Only a glance and then you watch your feet again, watching that crawling steel rope thati takes the trucks up and down. You reach the boarding-house, have a kindly welcome from the landlady, a cup of tea, and across to the hall. Tell your story of the class war, and those colliers carry with cheers the resolution to stand by Wai'ii aud Recfton to the bitter end. Supper is provided by your "host" the landlady, and you return through the mine. This was the "Vag.'s" first trip into a coalmine, and I can only say that I hope 1 didn't disgrace the organisation by showing I was scared. Well, if I didn't show it, I simply Wp went where they were taking the coal-pillaTs out. They ehowed us how the roof falls down when the pillars are removed. I was watching the wooden props that keep the roof up and when I saw some of those props crushed, I felt scared. However, I am pleased I went to Mangatina—pleased with the meeting, and in counting over my "blessings one by one," I shall not forget to be thankful for having met those "boye" on the top of Mangatina hill.—THE VAG.