THE BLACKBALL FIASCO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 108, 28 April 1908, Page 2

THE BLACKBALL FIASCO.

Per Press Association. I Greymouth, Last Night. n There was great hope of a settlement, of the Blackball strike on Saturday, when a conference was held between the. "' president and secretary of the Union j I the Hon. A. It, Ciiiiiness, and the mine, manager. It had leaked out that the. company were prepared to grant the, ~ hall-hour crib time, and from all ap- *' peaiauees nothing remained to keep the i men out on strike. At the conference, til,, manager staled that he was prepared to grant the miners hall' an hour crib tame provided the mine was worked, on the same conditions a* before the, strike. The I'ninn representatives, agreed to accept the manager's terms as, ' far as the half-hour crib time was con- ] cerned, but refused to allow the truckers : to work the ten hours. Thev were pre- ' pared to allow two of the truckers win* had responsible positions to put in the extra, time, but .wanted the miners to do the rest of the trucking. This the manager would not agree to. a* it mean! reducing the output of the mine and' running a risk of accident owing to allowing men to undertake work they were unaccustomed to. The manager's . conditions were! put before a meeting , of the Union, and it was decided by (U , to J not to accept them, and remain out , on strike. The decision was arrived at bv open voting. j 'it is alleged that Ilickey gave the miners to understand that they would get just as good support on the truck.T question as on the crib time. The only point in dispute was the half-hour crib , time, and now that that is settled the, ~ men advance the plea of the truckers, \ The truckers before the strike were ~ anxious to work the overtime, as they received time and a-half for it, but now l " the Union will not allow them to do " so '

Since the strike commenced, between' thirty and forty niiners have left ISlark-' ball for fresh' Holds, consequently the. strike fund is only divided amongst' those remaining. It is stated that the sum of £X 10s finds its way into one, I ie weekly. The father gels £1 10s, mother 10s, four sons (strikers) .€1 lfl.i each, and two children sri5 ri each. Ono miner gave it out that he is saving money out of bis strike pay.