Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

18 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

Family Notices

Cymmep Miners and Agents.

Advertising

District Council Elections.

Death of Mr. J. G. Morgan,…

Visit of Dr. Campbell Morgan…

Coursing at Sully.

.Treorchy.

Ystrad.

Advertising

Musings.

Advertising

AMERICAN HUMOUR.

Tylorstown.

Trealaw.1

Advertising

Cymmep Miners and Agents.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

to if not in a, better position by putting down their tools and remaining; idle, than if they continued working for low wages. (C'ries of You never mentioned down tools," and other scurrilous interjections). Dealing; with the further charge of the statement made against him personally "of a want of sympathy," 01% to put, it stronger, that he had no sympathv with men out of work at all, the speaker went on to show that during the whole of his lifetime as a miners' leader he had ample proof in his public actions that, when- ever this question of men thrown out of work had come before the Rhondda Dis- I trict meetings, he had always thrown himself whole-heartedly into the work of trying to establish an out-of-work fund, whereby under all conceivable circum- stances these unfortunate men, who through no fault of their own could not find work, should be supplemented and paid a weekly relief from their funds. He could not understand the persecution —ironical laughter). "Yes, persecution," continued Morgan. Hel further claimed that his sympathies had gone out in addressing large meetings through- out the coalfield. He had had a little share with others at having been the means of raising over C7,0,00, to pay out weekly relief to all the men that were thrown out of work by the coming into operation of the first Compensation Act, in the year 1898. (Interruptions, "What had compensation, &c., to do with it? "). At present, as they well knew, their Fede- ration had no out-of-work fund, and surely it was unfar that they should blame the leaders for the state of things which had been brought about in conse- quence of the men themselves not feeling disposed to pay into a fund of this kind. All that he had said in respect of these men at Cymmer who were now out of work, that they left of their own accord at the expiration of their notice, in the hope, no doubt, of obtaining employment elsewhere, and who had failed. What he had said was that it was a great pity these men had done so, because they might have known it would have been difficult for them to obtain work any- where once it became known they were Cymmer workmen. He had felt his duty, as an agent, to point out to these men that they ought to have remained and worked on for a time at least at Cymmer. In case they had a dispute then, they could be placed on the District funds, and in that sense. because these men- as lit now can hel .steen-were running away from a. fight, and on that ground having put themselves out of the pro- visions of the District funds, he had no sympathy with men who were pleasing themselves in this unfortunate position. Speaking of the situation in general, Mr. Morgan read out a cilalulse which had been offered by the owners on October 30th dealing with the abnormal places, which in itself, he said, entirely refuted the allegation made of an attempt to mislead the workmen as to the work done by the Joint Conciliation Board at Car- diff. Mr. Tom Evans also addressed the meeting with regard to the proceedings which had taken place at the meeting on January 30th held at the Palace, and ,also with regard to the action he had taken in several meetings of the Cymmer workmen. Mr. Evans stated it would ill become him to be disloyal to the chief agent as long; as he (the chief agent) was in the right and honest. In spite of the explanation made by Mr. Watts Morgan, the meeting still maintained that he had promised at the Palace meeting at Porth that he would see that the men's wages in the new seam would be made up to what they were before, if not more in case the men and the management failed to agree upon allowances. A protractejdj discussion followed, in which much warmth of feeling was dis- played. A miner in the body of the hall said he respected their agents, when they deserved it, and had not come there to trample their agents down; but if Mr. Morgan was a leader, let him lead and not be a Blucher (applause). The work- men wished to be fair, but, like Shy'lock, they woiuld have their pound of flesh. Mr. Morgan had declined to attend a meeting of the workmen on Sunday on religious sentiment. What better creed, he asked, was there than to fight for the right of the working man who paid him? The Chairman said Mr. Tom Evans agreed with Mr. Morgan at the Palace meeting as he had not disputed the state- ment. Mr. Evans (rising): Don't assume anything until you hear my reply." (Cries of "Hear, hear"), Mr. Evans said Mr. Morgan was strong enough and able enough to take his own part and bear the responsibility for his own action without bringing him (Mr. Evans) in. (A voice: "What do you want here? No one sent for you"). The Chairman: Mr. Evans was censured on Sunday in the meeting, and that is why he is here. Mr. Evans (continuing) admitted that he had said it would be better to spend £1,000 to back the men up working in the new seam, and he had not changed his mind. Replying to a charge that he was afraid to put his foot in a meeting at Llwyny- pia" (Glamorgan), Mr. Evans explained that the Llwynypia men, at a meeting the previous Wednesday, were thoroughly satisfied with his services, and not a word was said against him. Mr. Watts Morgan said he need not be ashamed of has record, nor for what he had done for the working men. He appealed to the meeting not to use feel- ing against him as he was prepared to answer all the charges made against him. Some of them were trying to influence the minds of the workmen against him. (Cries of No, no," and Keep cool, Dai "). Mr*. Morgan: It is all right saying Keep cool when you: are making libellous statements against me. Mr. Cyril Thomas asked why Mr. Evans had not denied the statement made by Mr Morgan at the Palace meeting, if he A miner: Mr. Watts Morgan coated didn't agree with it. the pill nicely for the men to accept the Trehafod price list at the Cummer, and Mr. Tom Evans made them vswallow it (laughter and applause). Mr. Morgan said he had made it abun- dantly clear to them that, if they were looked out at the Cymmer, they would be entitled to strike pav. A miner moved, with the object of bringing matters to a, head, that both their agents be asked to resign their posi- tions, failing which the Cymmer men would withhold their oontriburtions to the Federation (loud applause). The Chairman ruled the motion out of order, and the discussion proceeded. The Chairman remarked that the Cymmer men, in accepting the Trehafod ( price list, had accepted a list of 3d. per day lower than any other in the South Wales coalfield. A miner asked whether they were going to allow men to continue in these abnormal places without making a, stand to get justice done towards them. (A voice: Down tools "). (Applause). Mr. Morgan said he was prepared to advise the men not to work unless they were properly paid. The Chairman said the management had refused to meet a deputation of the workmen on the matter, and Mr. Morgan replied that he could not understand this attitude. A collier informed the meeting that he had had the handsome pay-of £ 2 12s. 6d. for 12 turns that day at the Cymmer (laughter and Shame "). Several men declared that they had been victimised by being refused work elsewhere when it became known that they had left the Cymmer. A miner proposed, that the vote of I censure remain upon the two agents until an admission was made by them of their mistake. Mr. Evans expressed sorrow that the vote should have been passed at all. It was the first vote of censure that had been passed upon him. Whatever Mr. Morgan had said he had power to carry out, and it was not for him (Mr. Evans) as sub-agent to contradict him and thus prejudice his chief agent in the minds of the workmen. Mr. Cyril Thomas said that £ 15 had been paid out of the lodge funds to the workmen working in abnormal places on the strength of Mr. Watts -Morgan's statement. This had since been declared illegal. The meeting unanimously decided that the vote of censure passed on the pre- vious Sunday should be adhered to. It is understood that more of this matter will be heard at the next meeting of the Rhondda District.

Trealaw.1