Mr Chappell and the South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire Miners Association

That portion of the workmen employed at the Denaby Main Colliery who reside in Conisborough met at the Three Horse Shoes Inn, Conisborough on Tuesday night and invited Mr W Chappell, late secretary to the South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire Miners Association to attend

The object of the meeting was a formation of a branch of the South Yorkshire Association.

The room was crowded to excess. After some discussion as to the advisability of the course the meeting had been convened to consider, a resolution was passed to the effect that the that portion of the Denaby men resident in Conisborough, believed to be the best course to take to form a branch in connection with the district of which Mr Chappell acted as secretary. They next appointed a secretary, treasurer, and delegate for the resuscitated Lodge.

A resolution was also carried, asking Mr W Chappell to act as district secretary. After these preliminaries had been completed, the Chairman called upon Mr Chappell to address the meeting.

Mr Chappell said that as a leader of the men he had always tried to act conscientiously and to advise that which he believed to be the best course for them to adopt. He had acted thus during his long experience, and did not decide on action until he had made every possible investigation as to the prospects of success or failure.

He had no hesitation in saying that the Denaby Main Company were disposed to settle the dispute as long ago as Easter week, and had his recommendations been accepted at that time the men would have been at work, in comfortable circumstances, and make as good wages as were to be obtained at any of the colliery in the neighbourhood. He did not think it advisable to say everything which might be said on the subject.

A large number of men had resumed work, and it would take some length of time to put things into fair working order. He hoped the men would go on peaceably doing their duty. If the time ever arrived with the application to appeal to the company for better rates than those obtaining at present such an appeal would have to be made of the strongest possible proofs that the present rates were not remunerative.

They would all agree with him that the effects of a dispute which raged so long and assumed such serious dimensions could not be rectified in a moment. He hoped the men who had not been able to get back to work would wait patiently until an opening presented itself.

Mr Chappell then went on to say that he had no remarks to make respecting any change of policy he would adopt should he be retained as Secretary to the Association, because not only had his policy been supported by the most reliable trade union leaders in the country, but it had been supported by results which had invariably followed the adoption of policies antagonistic to the opinions he held.

In conclusion, he remarked that if the men chose to engage him he would watch their welfare, and do his utmost to further their interests in every possible direction will stop this, he said, yet always done in the parts. If the men thought fit to go elsewhere, and to pay men could be of no possible service to them in what some people call minor matters, but which he regarded as most important, they were quite free to take that course, and to leave him to do the best he could for himself in another direction.

The Manvers Main miners appointed a deputation of two men to attend the meeting with a view of ascertaining the feeling of the Denaby Main men subject of the re-establishment of the district and its old base. The lodges in connection with the Thorncliffe pits have signified their willingness to join the district, should it be re-established. The opinion of the Thrybergh Hall miners on the subject has not yet been ascertained.