BITTER FEELING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 83, 18 January 1930, Page 5

BITTER FEELING

MINERS AND POLICE.

ACTION ON THE COALFIELDS.

GENERAL STRIKE IS REJECTED

(United T>rest Association—Copyright.) This Day, 10.20 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Undeterred by the police action of Wednesday, the miners on the Maitland field decided to resume mass picketing. Fearing a move by the men, 100 police, strengthened by a flying gang and a wireless patrol, stood by at Cessnock last night during the assembling of a Communist meeting. A conference of delegates from the lodges on the northern coalfields rejected til proposals for a general strike. The conference reaffirmed the policy of keeping the southern, western and unassociated northern pits at work to provide levies for idle miners. Remarkable prejudice against the police was exhibited at Cessnock Hospital when, following complaints from a number'of patients, that a policesergeant had been admitted for treatment, the Board of Management decided to ask the authorities to remove the sergeant to another institution. He, was later sent to Newcastle Hospital. So bitter is the feeling that employees of the Kearsleyshire Council refused to operate the sanitary services at places where the police are quartered. , In an effort to settle the coal deadlock the Australian Labour Party instructed its secretary to convene a conference, as early as possible, of tne New South Wales 'Federal "Members of Parliament, the New South Wales State Members, and the Australian, Labour Party executive.

SAFETY MEN SUPPLIED.

QUIET DAY AT ROTHBURY

SYDNEY, January 17. The coalfields have again been quiet to-day.

The mines from which the union safety men were withdrawn are now working, the owners supplying their own safety men. The 'further efforts of the Prime Minister, Mr J. H. Scullin, to bring the parties together are taking definite shape. The mine-owners have not disclosed the terms, of Mr Scullin's latest offer, but it is understood that it is practically identical with the one submitted by" him a month ago, when the Federal Government announced their preparedness to provide a subsidy of ninepence a ton, which was rejected.

The coal-owners held a meeting today to consider the matter, and' at the conclusion Mr MacDonald (chairman of I)he Associated. Northern Colliery Proprietors) held out little hope of acceptance. He added: "The proprietors are emphatically opposed to bounties, which are only likely to provide a temporary settlement." NO SETTLEMENT YET.

MELBOURNE, ■January 17. The Prime Minister (Mr Scullin) announced to-night that settlement of the coal trouble was not yet in sight. His discussion with-Mr Bavin will he continued to-morrow.

Mr Bavin's • principal mission is to induce Mr Scull in to disband the Workers' Defence Corps, which is illegal under the Federal Constitution. •