STORM BREAKS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 272, 29 August 1946, Page 5

STORM BREAKS

COAL DISPUTE IN AUSTRALIA COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEE (Special from C. R. Mentiplay, Representative of N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The sudden appearance of a self-styled “Coal distribution Committee,” chosen by the Miners’ Federation, allegedly with the approval of the Minister of Supply, Senator W.. P. Ashley, has raised again the issue of Communists in control of the industry at a time most inopportune for the Government.

The coalmine owners and m'embers of the opposition have been quick to point out that two of the three committeemen are also on the central executive of the Communist Party. As the Miners’ Federation describes the function of the committee as being to assist the Coal Commissioner, Mr H. Williams, in the equitable distribubution of coal to industry, it seems that the alarm of industrialists is justiged. A fortnight ago the locomotive enginemen threatened to strike because they alleged that the Broken Hill Proprietary was getting an unfair allocation of coal at the expense of the railways. They demanded that the Government should peg the company’s quota as at 1944, and should distribute the balance among the railways and other consumers. The weakness of this otherwise excellent method of producing coal on paper was revealed when., the Coal Commissioner produced figures to prove that the Broken Hill Proprietary was, in fact, receiving, much less coal than it did in 1944. The enginemen did not trouble to acknowledge their mistake, as can he seen in the statement by the union secretary, Mr E. J. Harrison: “Our, object in suggesting that the company’s 'quota should be based on 1944 was> to boost coal production. A general increase in coal supplies would then enable the railways to get more coal.” Meanwhile the Miners’ Federation continued to question the fairness of *eoal distribution. The federation at last secured the agreement of Senator Ashley to set up a panel in order to satisfy unions that coal supplies were being fairly distributed. . Real Ruler of Industry Yesterday the federation announced the appointment of a committee of three, adding that it was to assist the coal commissioner. The storm broke when employers ana tne opposition? saw Mr James F. Thornton, national secretary of the Ironworkers’ union, and Mr H. Wells, general president of the Miners’ Federation. The third member, who has occasioned little comment so far is, Mr Harrison, secretary of the Locomotive Enginemen’s Union, who was responsible for the fiasco concerning the Broken Hill’Proprietary. “The composition of the committee proves that the Communist Party is the real ruler of industry,” stated Mr W. H. McNally, secretary of the Southern Colliery Proprietors’ Association. i

Condemning the formation of the panel, the “Sydney Morning Herald” says that if Senator Ashley knew when he permitted it that Mr Wells and Mr Thornton would be members, “he and thfe Government must be charged with another abject surrender to the Communists, from, whose embraces the Labour Party is ostentiously detaching itself during the currency of the election. What have the miners’ FedlJ officials to do with distribution to the coal-starved community or sucn supplies as their strike-happy members consent to produce?” It is certain that the Labour Party’s many enemies will be quick to take advantage of the onnortunitv for criticism thus offered, but more important still will be the effect on the distributioii of coal which industrial troubles have caused to be in such short supply.