SETTLED AT LAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 121, 13 May 1908, Page 2

SETTLED AT LAST.

THE BLACKBALL BTIUKE. MEN TO RESUME WORK FOKTIIWITII.

I Per Press Association. Grcyraoutb, Last Night. The Blackball strike was settled this afternoon. A general meeting of the Union was held at 3 o'clock, wlien tin' 1 following letter- was considered from

the manager:— Ngaherc. 12tli -May.-To Walter ting-' ers, feq., secretary of Liu* .Miners' i Union, Blackball.—Sir, --lie strike, as you arc no doubt aware, tin- only ma. Iter in dispute between your Union and I imy company is the matter of working 10 hours by trucking. This dill'cre-.w.-will be clear when the terms of both

parties are quoted in full. The terms of the Union are as follows: First, the re-instateuient of seven men <li.suu.is on February 21i, and a promise by the j manager that he will not victimise them; I .second, thirty minutes' crib time be allowed; third, two trucker.-! in important positions to lie allowed to wori; ic I hours when required, and miners to do the trucking for an extra two hours | when working ten hours. The terms ol I lie company are—l and i the sauie as the Union; all other conditions to be the same *s before the strike in accordance with the award of the Arbitration Court (as this clause atleets the truck--1 ers to work ten hours when required).

Jiow, from the above it will be clear that we are agreed on the first and second clauses. Thus I lie only one in dispute is the third, and therefore, if a suitable arrangement can be made with regard to it the dispute is settled. For Innately for us, but unfortunately for the sullerei-6, a state of aifairs has come to pass which enables us to work the mine two shifts per day, and as mere is a large number of men out ol worn 0 at Brunner 1 intend to lind employment i for them if they wish, and, at the same time, increase the output of the mine

by working a double shift, thus obviating the necessity of truckers working ten hours, and therefore doing away with the third clause of both our terms, and, 1 am pleased to say, settles the strike, on conditions suitable to both parties. We will commence working on Wednesday, May Kith, with a single shift, and'iinniedialely advertise for the necessary men to work the double shitt on Thursday or Friday. \Yc will call for places, and on the Monday following, commence tho double shitt. Yours faithfully, James Leiteh, mining niana-

ger. It was decided to accept the terms and resume work as stated. HON. J. A. MTUAK'S VIEWS. "ACT REQUIIiKS AMKN'DI.NC." Wellington, Last Night. In reference to the Blackball settlement, the Hon. ,1. A. .Millar is informed that iu consequence of the' T.vneside mine being Hooded the Blackball Company had decided to work two shuts. This at once disposed of the troublesome pcunts of truckers' overtime. The half-hour crib time had already been conceded. Mr, Millar presumes the company will be able to employ all the men from Tyneside, and the fifty or sixty men who remained at Blackball till the end of the dispute. Altogether, the strikers numbered 150, but the majority went away from the district. "The strike has shown that the law in regard to aiding and abetting wants' amendment," said the Minister to a Times representative. ■' Any union wishing to have the right to strike can. cancel its registration under the Arbitration Act and registered under the Trades Union Act, but by registering under the Arbitration Act they voluntarily surrender the right to strike. It was clearly the intention of the Act when passed that no union registered under it should devote any part of its funds towards the support of its members on strike. Therefore it is apparent on the whole thing that while the union is debarred from so using its funds another union can supply funds to maintain the strikers."

ORDI'K MADE AGAINST STRIKERS. Auckland, Last Night. In the Arbitration Court this afternoon, Mr. Justice Sim made an order against I(j<> individual members of the Blackball Miners' Union, providing that each of the persons named in the schedule forthwith pay to the Inspector ot Awards their proportion of Hie line of .£75 imposed upon the Union, but no one of the said members is to be liable for a greater amount than £lO. A copy of the certificate is to be sent to the Clerk of Awards at Hokitika, to enable the Inspector of Awards to take action at law immediately.