THE NEWCASTLE MINES

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 19

THE NEWCASTLE MINES

i BREACH OF AGREEMENT BY WORKERS. SYDNEY, January 7. The Teralba pits are still idle. The special court has concluded taking evidence in the Teralba cases, and gives its decision to-morrow as to -whether the men broke the agreement when they struck work. The feeling to-day is more conciliatory, i January 8. j The special court found that the men of the Teralba mines had by leaving work broken the agreement under which the special court was constituted, and thereby justified the -proprietors in withdrawing from the court if they so desired. Mr Bowling, the miners' representative, said he considered the men might have committed a technical breach, but morally they were right. The proprietors.' representative announced that the proprietors desired to abide by the agreement, and if the Teralba men would return to work they would let the matter come before the court and. the proprietors would not withdraw from the court. On the application of the miners' advocate, the court adjourned until to-morrow to allow the Miners' Federation an opportunity to advise the strikers to resume WOTk. The Miners' Committee of Management subsequently met and advised a resumption of work. i January 9. At a mass meeting, of the Teralba miners i last night, Mr M'Williams, acting-presi- ] dent of the Miners' Federation, plainly told the men that the federation was simply not in a position to fight just i now. They were not in the position ; they were in a couple of months ago. If they were, the whole coal trade of New j South Wales might soon be dislocated. . The result of the meeting would seem to ! indicate that the court will now continue i its career unchecked. « All the Tera-lba collieries are working to-day. ' January 10. The special Coal Commission has delivered an interim judgment in the Teralba dispute in regard to cavilling and the choosing of mates. The court will inspect several mines, and resume its sittings a j week hence. The resumption of work by the men following on the judgment of the court is taken to indicate that the fears of a general strike have vanished. | —