CRUSHING DEFEAT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 74, 9 January 1936, Page 5

CRUSHING DEFEAT

THE VOTE OF THE MINERS. COMPLETE SURPRISE TO UNIONS. WILL FIGHT TO BITTER END. United Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The voting of the miners was 5780 against the strike and 1167 in favour. The crushing defeat of the militants came as a complete surprise in union circles, and in the opinion of the leaders the collapse of the seamen’s strike is now inevitable. The secretary of the Sydney Seamen’s Strike Committee (Mr J. Keenan) said: “While naturally disappointed at the result in the aggregate, meetings of seamen will fight on to the bitter end.” \ " MINERS! REFUSE SUPPORT. INTERVENTION BY GOVERNMENT SYDNEY, Jan. 8. The miners decided, in most cases by overwhelming majorities, not to strike in support of the seamen as Avas recommended by the Joint Consultative Council. Huge majorities against a strike Avere recorded at Kurri, where the voting Avas 758 votes to 42, at LithgoAv (684 to 62), Speers Point (675 to 25), Woollongong (600 to 100), and Cessnock (874 to 146). Wonthaggi voted by 370 votes to 44 on favour of the strike. The only other field so far to support the strike is Helensburgh, Avliere the vote favoured the council’s recommendation by 28 votefe to 14. Some results are still outstanding. At Melbourne a mass meeting of seamen decided to give effect to the Sydney decision to call out all ships manned by unionists. After being held up for several Aveeks, the passenger steamer Morinda sailed to-day for Lord HoAve Island. The proposed departure of the Wanganella for New Zealand on Saturday has been cancelled. The Huddart Parker Company says instructions to this effect haA r e been received from Melbourne, no reason being given for the cancellation. It had been anticipated that a crew could be obtained in time. Four volunteer seamen Avere attacked near the waterfront t'o-dav by about 25 men, but all escaped Avithout being seriously injured.