the mining companies around Reefton insisted upon a medical examination of all employees as a condition of re-employment following the Christmas holidays. This caused considerable resentment, and a lock-out took place. Mr. Semple visited Reefton, and stiffened the miners opposition and, together with Mr. O’Regan, who was on a visit to Reefton at the time, was successful in preventing this indignity being perpetrated upon the metal miners of the Reefton area.
The Reefton mine-owners, during the period of the lock-out, quite logically pointed out that the Westport Coal Co., in its mines at Denniston and Millerton, had introduced the medical inspection of prospective employees, and that the Federation or the Unions had not offered any resistance. So having cleaned up Reefton, the Federation now turned its attention to the Buller, and after a very brief battle, had the indignity removed from that district also.
These two contests proved a splendid advertisement for the Federation, and from then on it made itself felt as an industrial force in N.Z.
About this time the Newcastle, N.S.W., miners downed tools, and through levies and contributions, £3,600 was forwarded for their assistance. This strike was made famous through the imprisonment of the strike officials, including Peter Bowling, and the passing of legislation of a “leg-iron” character.
In addition to generous financial support, the Federation refused to allow coal to be taken out of New Zealand.
I find, for instance, the following resolution in the minutes: “That, in the event of the mine-owners attempting to fleece the public by raising
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