COAL CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 January 1921, Page 5

COAL CRISIS.

WILL THE MEN STRIKE '’UNITED ACTION ON MONDAYS ALL THE MINES CONCERNED. "FIGHT TO LAST DITCH.” By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In connection with the coal mining trouble at Blackball the miners throughout New Zealand have, according to the federation secretary, decided upon “united action” as from Monday next, as a protest against the alleged victimisation of two men by the Blackball Coal Company. The form the “united action” will take is not stated, but it is not thought the miners will stop work altogether. The matter has been under discussion since November. The dispute has now been narrowed down to two men, Henderson and McLaggan, McLaggan being the man referred to as having visited his invalided mother in England. Negotiations between the federation, the Blackball Co., and the Mine-Owners’ Federation have been proceeding and investigations have been made on behalf of the Government. Now a crisis has been reached, the company having declined to reinstate Henderson under any consideration, although it is willing to take McLaggan back. The’ Blackball miners have been “going slow” ever since the dispute commenced. To-day Mr. Pryor, secretary of the Coal-mine Owners’ Association wrote to Mr. Arbuckle (Secretary of the Miners’ Federation) forwarding a copy of a letter from the Blackball Company indicate ing that the company is willing to reemploy McLaggan, but will not reinstate Henderson. Mr. Pryor’s letter proceeds: “I have referred the whole matter to the executive of this association, the members of which unanimously support the Blackball Company in the attitude it has adopted. It must be understood howevef, that McLaggan will not be reemployed until definite arrangements are made that the go-slow policy now in operation at the Blackball mines shall cease.”

In its letter the Blackball Company enters its protest “against the unnecessary introduction of the go-slow policy into this matter, and it demands an immediate cessation of same without further action of any sort arising out of this incident.” In reference to Henderson, the company alleges that he was “admittedly guilty of foul and filthy language towards one of the company’s staff,” and consequently the company states that it cannot reinstate him on any condition. In the course of a statement made to a reporter to-day, Mr. Arbuckle said: “I wish to again place before the public the position which has been created by the Blackball Coal Company in victimising two members of the Blackball Union, Henderson and McLaggan. These men are good miners and clean-living mep, and the union has tried all the means in its power to settle .the dispute and have the men reinstated. The company refused to reinstate the men, so the case was handed over to the federation, which in turn placed the matter before the Coal-owners’ Association. The Coal-owners’ Association has endorsed the action of the Blackball Company and. the policy of victimisation. “On receiving the decision of the coal owners, rather than cause a breach that might involvq the whole of New Zealand in industrial trouble, I, as secretary of the federation, approached the Prime Minister and placed the position before him. Mr. Massey decided to send the Under-Secretary for Mines down to Blackball and so obtain a full report on the matter. This was done and the report is now in the hands of Mr. Massey. He has full particulars from each side and the report must say which side |is right and which is wrong. The public have a right to know the full facts, and these can be given if the report of the Under-Secretary is made public. It is only a fair request to ask that the report be published at once. “The company now agrees to reinstate McLaggan. but not Henderson. The miners feel that they have taken every possible means of settling this dispute, and having failed, they will take united action on Monday next, and continue that action until the victimised men are reinstated. The miners Unions and the Federation will fight to the last d.itch against victimisation, especially against such deliberate and vindictive victimisation as shown in the case of the two Blackball men. We deny that Henderson was guilty of ioul and filthy language, and we defy the company to prove this charge against him?..”