THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9096, 16 March 1908, Page 5

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

TRADESMEN STOP CREDIT. ~ Press Association. Greymouth, March 14. There is a complete deadlock at Backball over the strike. Everything was in readiness for work on Saturday, and the mine officials were in attendance; hut no miners turned up, and the mind was closed. The men are determined to stand firm and fight the position. At a meeting held it was decided to canvass for support, and Pritchard was appointed to canvass Christchurch, Dunedin and the rest of the South Island, while Hickey appeals to Wellington, Westport and Nelson. Efforts are being made to get the Tyneside and State colliery miners to come out, hut at meetings held on Saturday the proposal was not favorably received. It is freely rumoured that the Blackball Coal Company intend to close the mine down until the railway from Ngahere to Blackball lias been completed, and in the meantime to go on erecting new bins. The manager notified the miners that all agreements|aud concessions agreed to by him are off. The miners claim that the decision of the Arbitration Court is too severe.

On Saturday evening everything was quiet, and no public speeches were delivered. The whole affair is looked upon as very serious by the business people of Greymouth, and the Blackball tradesmen have stopped all credit, refusing goods unless the money is paid down.