THE MINERS' STRIKE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2533, 4 October 1888, Page 2

THE MINERS' STRIKE.

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.— copyright.] Sydney, October 2. The Stockton Mine resumes work on Thursday, under the Mediation Committee agreement. The South Bulli miners have notified they will cease work in fourteen days from October Ist, unless their wages are increased, (FROM OL'K SYDNEY COUKESPOSDEST). Sydney, September '2.3. The state of affairs at the Newcastle mines shows 110 improvement. Disturbances and organised attempts at intimidation are becoming more frequent, and each successive demonstration exceeds the last in violence. Those who work in opposition to the commands of the Union are mobbed and maltreated, and in one case a diabolical plot, which almost succeeded, was laid to blow up a colliery with gunpowder, The original strike seems to have been quite unjustifiable, and the means by which it is sought to maintain it are such as cannot be tolerated in any civilised country. Yesterday it was judged necessary to send a Nordenfeldt gun and a detachment of the Permanent Artillery to East Lainbton, where some labourers engaged in filling small coal were stoned. Although in this instance the necessity for action had disappeared before the military had reached the scene, it appears only too probable that serious bloodshed will take place beforo the disturbance is ended. The irrepressible member for Northumberland, Mr Neuian Melville, is on the spot, but as his chief desire seems to be to make himself "solid" with the strikers, his presence, to put it mildly, is of no very great assistance in tile conservation of law and order. The proclamation issued by the Government, which notilies that all peaceable citizens will receive the protection of the authorities in pursuing their lawful avocations, he held up to public opprobrium the other night before a throng of excited miners. Such a course can have no other result than that of intensifying the bitterness and increasing the misunderstandings which already prevail. Regarding the economic aspect of the question, some important changes have taken place. The coal-owners, I may explain, are not united. There are the associated collieries, by far the most powerful body, who control the market, and have a mutual agreement, called the " vend," to restrict the output within a certain limit, and thereby maintain prices. Then, there are the non-associated collieries, who have not joined the " vend," but who work for '■ their own hand." The latter had nothing to do with the disputes which led to the strike, yet their pits were laid idle with the others by order of the Union. They have since approached the men on their own account, offering them 10s a day for eight hour's work. The miners refuse, alleging that such a basis of payment " would lead to endless contentions." They offer, however, to work on the basis of a former agreement, which was in. force for some years, but which was broken by the associated masters. The non-associated collieries apparently fear if they were to yield to the miners' demands, they would be crushed by the powerful "vend." As the most hopeful way out of the difficulty, they have advertised for three or four thousand men to work their mines. As, unfortunately, there are thousands of able and willing men unemployed, this step puts considerable pressure.on the Union to end the dispute as soon as possible. On the other hand, the Great Northern Colliery, which has important Government contracts to supply, has accepted the agreement of the miners, and starts to work today. It is interesting to note that as soon as the pinch of tho famine begin to be felt, the laws which regulate demand and supply begin to assort themselves in a manner which, if di-tnrbing forces wove removed, would settle the whole question. Prices rise to an unprecedented pitch, masters feel themselves warranted in offering higher prices, and the whole district would soon assume its wonted aspect of industry and prosperity if it were not for the dogged obstinacy of the combatants and the intimidation which is exercised by each side after its fashion.