THE SHAG POINT COLLIERY STRIKE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2270, 26 June 1880, Page 2

THE SHAG POINT COLLIERY STRIKE.

SECOND EDITION

In reference to tlic causes of (he colliery strike at Shag Point, A'lr Williams, the mining manager, writes to the Oamam “ Mail,” as follows : “ The men are on hy the ton, and the hours for work are eight, except when a press of orders come in, and then they arc asked to work longer, but they will not do it. Why? Because they can earn as much in seven hours as they want to. 1 have to pay now to-day men who arc averaging Ids per day, and yet one man who has averaged for the last nine working days 14s 6d per day told me it was not enough to keep him, and lie could live just as well at the Christchurch soup kitchen. It is time that the public should know how little safety there is for anyone to embark capital in any undertaking when you are at the mercy of men who, without a minute’s notice, leave work, positively refuse to] sign any rules or agreement, and when tlicv please, stop work. We have decided to make a stand against this, even with the great .annoyance of not being able to supply orders for a few days.”

“Veritas” gives quite another reason for the strike. He says : “ It appears that the fire which broke out about three or four years ago in the old pit has broken out to a certain extent in the new, and the miners are nearly suffocated in consequence. In fact one might judge of the foul air existing when a lighted taper or candle is extinguished. Vow when such a state of things exists it is high time the Government made an inspection, in order to ward oil; such a calamity as befel the poor victims at Kaitangata.” The editor of the “ Mail,” in a footnote, points out that the men themselves say that they have struck for an advance of Gd per ton, eight hours’ work, and fornightly pay, and fairly adds that if “ Veritas ” is correct, he lias certainly performed an act of justice in drawing attention to the presence of the foul air in the mine ; but if, on the other hand, he has merely raised the cry to deter men from applying for work in the mine, ho has been guilty of an action deserving of the severest censure.