The Oamaru Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1909.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10059, 29 January 1909, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1909.

The Huntly miners' strike might, easily have developed into a the FRT7IT of serious industrial upFOMA-. heaval had the good sense of the Taupiri Coal Mining Company not prevailed, thanks to the intercession of the Minister of Mines. Notwithstanding that praise lias been bestowed on the men by the Minister for their good behavior during the stress ot the trouble, the fact remains that they strove to induce the Company, then employers, to dismiss, or degrade, four men who were members of their own Union, because they had submitted to the medical inspection, or because they had somehow excited their jealousy, and that they expelled those men from the Union, quite illegally. This was a paltry, mean occasion for a revolt which threatened to deprive Auckland of fuel as a start tot which might well have so inflamed the minds of the substratum of worker as to paralyse trade and precipitate widespread loss and misery amongst them and their families. To relieve the situation 15,000 tons of Newcastle coal was landed in Auckland within one week, but the wharf laborers were averse to nanclliun- anv more such importations, and would have struck if they had been continued. Mr MTvenzie, speaking of the employers and the miners told an interviewer "that they were both fighting for a principle and did not allow personal feeling to come in." Such eulogy' of the miners mav have been diplomatic, but it was not'w'ise to designate as 'principle the unthinkable demand of the men that four of their fellows should be turned out in the cold for havinß displayed a sense of their proper obligations. These very men-and we see that 83 of them out of 253 persisted in their foolishness to Hie last—would have been the first to bewail their sad fate and call loudly for public svmpathy if any of them had been dismissed by their employers, even tor a good .cause. And, though the Minister says that they did not allow personal feelin"- to com© in they permitted, certain of their number, even if they did not encourage them, to heap insults on the men who had so innocently aroused their hatred. Now, what benefit has been reaped by anybody through the recalcitrancy of the Huntly miners? Though, as one of the conditions of the settlement, the men were awarded by the Company ten days' wages, they must have felt severely the sacrifice consequent upon so long ' a spell of unemployment, for they weTe out of work from the Ist of January. The Company was itself in no better case, and there was a fall ot £IOOO in one week in the Railway Department's revenue. The position in which the Company found itself, in consequence of its treatment of the men m the emergency, shews the necessity for caution where a complicated law has to be consulted. Tue men had demanded the dismissal of the four who were obnoxious to them, and had refused to submit to medical examination. The Company, on the 31st December, when they' discontinued work for the holidays, notified the men that "unless he was medicallv examined, no man would be allowed to work." Sir Baume declares that this constituted a lock-out, as the men were entitled' to 14 days' notice. If that be a correct view of the position, it ;s necessary that the law should be amended. If the Company had given the men a fortnight's notice and any of them had taken ill, or had died through disease before the expiration of that period, its liability would have been serious, in the absence of insurance, which would not have been possible without medical inspection. It is not surprising that, with such possibilities menacing them, the New Zealand Employers' Federation has iesolved' to establish a central defence fund out of which losses suffered by members of the Federation could, at least in some measure, be compensated.

It is disconcerting to read the complaint mad© by one of the Ad L addington. dington hands as to the obsolete, ineffective, and wasteful character of much of the machinery with which they are expected to do ffood work expeditiously. The disclosure made by this • employee is startling and' appears to be sufficient to account for any charges of inefficiency and laziness that might be brought against the men. • The roller for boiler plates, the punching machines, the cranes, and the steam hammer—appliances which are indispensable in. such a factory—are little better than old iron, unless the complainant is guilty of gross exaggeration. "And yet, the person through whose instrumentality the charges against the whole establishment were made public, handed! to the Press no comments on the machinery of the establishment. Perhaps the unknown' critic was silent as to this phase of the evil and solely reflected! on the men. If what the censorious 'visitor communicated to the Department' should, however, lead to the exposure of the use of worthless mechanical appliances and the substitution of up? machinery, the effect of his intervention may be salntaTy, though it may not be quite, what was expected by the heads of the Department, who will -be on their trial instead of the-men.

landing which she took; in 75 produce.and sailed, via Timaru, for Wellington and' West; Coast ports. ■'■■ . Mr ; 'W. Strachan is showing jn_ his -window the-.cup'presented by;, the VicePresidents to the Oamaru Swimming.Cub. If is a handsome trophy of. perfectly-plain design, standing on an ebony, plinth. ' The annual picnic of the.Wesleyan Sunday School was held at Balmerston yesterday. A fair number of scholars and their friends journeyed by the 7.4o.tram, and made their rendezvous on the recreation ground 1 , kindly placed at the disposal of -the"<pichickers. The day was. spent m such enjoyment as is adaptable to an outrun- of the'-kind, while many took advantage of the opportunity to climb the Puke-ta'pu-Hill. A number of children s races were held and keenly contested. The day passed pleasantly,,and everybody returned home well satisfied .rath.' their outing. Last'night a- large number of people assembled. in. Thames street.to listen to.the attractive programme /played, by- the garrison' Band. -The Band showed to great ad•vanta^e,' and.- gave evidence - of * careful practice.during the past few months..-..\\ e .are' informed .that' the . Bamd-'WilKgive,, a series •' of,"'open-air .-performances during the autumn. ~„*•'"» There was quite a downfall of rain atLivingstone and Tokarahi at 8.30 this morning, hut no sign of rain was showing when the train reached Windsor. Our Dunedin correspondent informs us that the condition of the Rev. x Dr Dunlop is causing much anxiety to his friends. Loss of sleep often causes headach*. Take Steam's Headache Cure, which not only cures the ache, but is as refreshing as a night's rest for the relief it brings tortured nerves. , -. Elysian—A Guaranteed Cure for influenza. Obtainable from Milligan and Bond and Adam Mackay. 630 Commercial Travellers! Make your trip successful and pleasant by getting us to handle your samples. Call, wire, or -write, and we'll, collect and deliver them I wherever you desire quickly, safely, bpacioue sample rooms and excellent storage accommodation always available. An excellent service provided for a low cost.— New Zealand Express Company. . The Summer Sale at Penrose's is now in full swing; every article in this store has been reduced. Bargains in every department. Good Washing Prints, light and dark grounds, only 5s 3d per dozen yards- Emdry-edgirag going at Is 3d per dozen'yards. Your pick of our Trimmed Hats for 6s lid. Nice Embroidery Box Blouses going at 2s 9d, 3s 6d. Call early and have a look at the bargains.—lJWNßOSES'S Drapery Establishment. Eor eczema, burns, scalds, cuts, or sores, "Red Cross" Ointment—Dutton's Mighty Healer—gives instant ' relief.—ls 6d, everywhere. . Lace Curtains! Lace Curtains! LaceCurtains! Is lid, 2s 6d, 2slid, 3s 6d, 4s 9d, to 30s a pair at the North Otago Farmers' Co-op.. Nothing like the value in any other establishment. -Mr GEORGE ROBINSON, Dental Surgeon, may be consulted at his residence, EDEN STREET (opposite Wesley Churcn),