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RHYMNEY.I

CONGREGATIONAL CYMANFA GANU…

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WHEN LIFE WAS SIMPLER LIFE…

- :0 AN ABERTY 5SWG DISPUTE.

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:0 AN ABERTY 5SWG DISPUTE. A MARCH TO TREDEGAR. Nearly tha whole of the men em- ployed at the Maclaren Colliery, Aber- tysswg, marc-bed over to Tredegar on Tuesday, headed by a local silver band to attend tin Police Court, where ;O of tho number were summoned for a breach of contract by wrongfully ab. senting themselves from work on April 7. Mr Charles Kenshole, Aberda-e, was for the Tredegar Iron and Conl Company, and with him were Mr W, D. Woolley, general colliery manager, and Mr W. S. Davies, agent. Mr T. .1. Thomas, B-irgoed, represented the men, and with him were Mr Albert ihomas, sub-agent, and Mr Walter Lewia, agent. Alderman T. J. Price, the chairman of the bench, at the outset asked whether there was not a possibility of settling the matter. It was scaicely compatible with the spirit of the nation to appear in court to redress grievances. There were so many idle that it was a loss to the company, and greater than all, a loss to the nation. o Mr Kenshole said a stoppage meant a loss of 1,300 tons a day, and the company had been, and were urged to use every effort to produce the largest amount of coal. There. had been correspondence between the par- ties, as a result of which the sum- monses were adjourned for a fortnight. The first thing done by the men after that was to put in fourteen days' notice. Mr T. J. Thomas said the poin t was that there had been a series of pinpricks for a long time past. All that the men wanted was to be paid in accordance with the Minimum Wage Act. It was a great annoyance to the men to find themselves 10s., 15s., or 20s. short of the minimum ?-age on a Saturday, especially when it was con- sidered how high prices of provisions were to-day. The Chairman said it showed great- er than all want of loyalty to the boys at the front when one spoke of pin- pricks at home in days such as these. Eventually the suggestion of the bench was adopted, the parties retiring' to the magistrates'.room to confer. On their return, after two hours, Mr Kenshole, after thanking the bench, said the terms arranged would obviate any further stoppages, and, after all, that was the object of the proceedings. When the workmen gave an undertaking as a body they had every confidence in their carrying it out, because they then realised their responsibility. The terms were that a resolution should be passed by the workmen in mass meeting that "no stoppage shall in future take place at Nos. 1 and 3 Pits, Maclaren Colliery, until the matter in dispute was referred to the management and the workmen's oommittee, failing agreement by them to the colliery agent and the men's agent without delay, and, failing agreement by them, to the Conciliation Board." The agreement was signed by Messrs W. S. Davies and W. D. Woolley, for the management, and I Messrs Walter Lewis and Albert Thomas, for the men. Mr T. J. Thomas concurred in the remarks, and thanked Alderman Price for his opening statement, to which Mr Kenshole agreed. Alderman Price expressed the satisfaction of the bench at the settlement. "8.

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