THE MINERS' STRIKE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2538, 16 October 1888, Page 2

THE MINERS' STRIKE.

iUV KLKCTIIIt: TJXKCU.mi— rOPVUIftHT.I October 15. Till? miners of tho Wallsend mi no, who are out on strike, have ntti.ioked the non-Uniou men working in the mine. Stones worn freely used, but fortunately only light injuries were inflicted.

(FROM OUR SYDNEY CORRIrtPON'OKNT). Svdnkv, October 3. Somh interesting developments have occurred in connection with the Newcastle strike. The Stockton Company withdrawing from the position of the associated coal-owners, have adopted an agreement which is acceptable to the miners, and the pit starts work to-day. Most of the directors of the northern mines are Sydney men, and I am given to understand that there is a very general feeling among the non-associated colliers ill favour of adoption a similar course. Newcastle, Wnllsend, and West Wallsend are working or making preparations to work with non-union labour, so that the pressure on both masters and turners is becoming very severe. Th*former are in danger of losing trade, and the latter their employment. Mr Melville the member for Northumberland, who has the reputation of being the most elective "stump" speaker in thf colony, is taking a very energetic part in the settlement of the dispute. The Stockton agreement was, in a great measure, brought about by his diplomacy. The accredited officers of the miners, headed by Mr Curley, their secretary, are aggrieved at being superseded by Mr Melville, They Wished to refer the question, as to whether the Stockton nun should go to work, to an aggregate meeting of the miners. But the lodges decided by a majority that no suoh meeting was necessary. The Stockton men were so eager to get to work that they declarc-d they would withdraw from the Union, rather than remiin idle any longer. One pound strike pay in five weeks is not satisfactory to honest hard-working men who f<-el themselves quite capable of earning a good living. Meanwhile the relations between the paid secretary and the selfconstituted representative are becoming very strained. Mr Melville declares that Mr' Curley has bungled matters. Mr Curley says that the miners should accord their duly constituted officers an expression of confidence the most important feature of which, in his opinion, no doubt, would be the warning-oil of interlopers. So far, however, the expressions of opinion have been all the other way.