The Mining Trouble.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4369, 4 February 1909, Page 3

The Mining Trouble.

PEELING OF UNREST.

IRRESPONSIBLE AGITATORS.

Christohuboh, Sunday. Mr G. L. Tacon, a Greymouth business man, states that though the mining trouble on the West Coast has been settled temporarily, there exists a feeling of unrest, a feeling that a trial of strength is imminent between the coal and gold miners and the employers. A few agitators, he alleges, are doing all the mischief.

The bulk of the miners, he thinks, seem to be satisfied, but the irresponsible agitators are stirring up strife. He expressed the opinion that when the struggle came it would affect every class in the community, and the, principle of preference to unionists would be one of its outstanding features. / Westport, Saturday.

A mass meeting of miners in the Westport Coal Company’s employ was held at Waimangaroa to-day, and about 250 men from Granity and 20 from Denniston were present. Mr Hawker, president of the Denniston Miners’ Union, was in the chair. The meeting was addressed by Messrs Hawker, Semple (president of the Miners’ Federation), Dowgray '(president of the Granity Miners Union), Colvin, M. P., McDairmid, Newton, and Walker. The meeting was not open to the press, but the information was given that after a lengthly discussion resolutions were carried unanimously as follows “ (1) That the Miners Federation executive be asked to meet the officers of the West Coal Company and try to get the company to do away with medical examinations, and, failing compliance with the request, and the federation be asked to arrange to get legislation passed doing away with 'the examination; (2) that the Granity and Denniston Medical Associations discontinued ; and (3) that, the officers of the federation and Messrs Colvin and O’Regan be thanked for their services on behalf of the miners. ”