STRIKE PROSPECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 271, 13 November 1909, Page 5

STRIKE PROSPECTS.

ANYTHING BUT HOPEFUL GENERAL STRIKE FEARED. A FIGHT FOB SUPREMACY. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 10.25 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. A congress of delegates from the three mining districts meets to-day to consider the Northern proprietors' decision. Prospects of the congress falling in with the suggestion to resume work preparatory to a conference is considered very unlikely. The Sit. Keira miners "downed tools" last night, and all the southern miners are now out. A general meeting of Western miners decided to cease work immediately, and all pits are idle to-day. The coke works at .Bulli and Bellambi paid off, and are closed. The outlook is considered anything but hopeful, and fears of a general strike are increasing. Strike leaders state that the object of a general strike is to arouse public opinion to coerce the mine owners. Addressing the Hetton lodge, one of the delegates announced that the miners were not going to allow anyone to work the mines. Peter Bowling, secretary to the Miners' Federation, expressed the opinion that the waterside and other unions would come out if called upon. The spirit of unification among unions was never so strong as to-day, and nothing would be done to hurt the public that could be avoided: but it was a fight for supremacy, and the unions must have all the power they could get. Bowling mentioned that the miners had offers of assistance from all parts of Australia and New Zealand, and amongst other matters these would be considered at to-day's congress. UNIONIST ALTERNATIVE. STRIKE OR DISASTER 7 STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY. SYDNEY, November 12. The Northern coalowners met to-day, and decided to reply to the miners' request for a conference that they would agree if the men resumed work within a week. If the conference is abortive, they are agreeable to refer the grievances to the Industrial Court. The Zigzag miners aYe out, being the first western men to join the strike. Mr Peter Bowling, the miners' secretary, in a speech at Newcastle, to-night, declared that had the strike not been entered on at the present time it would have meant disaster to the miners, and some small colliery owners would have been ruined. Big companies and sin emissary from England had, before the strike started, entered into a compact that would have placed the Miners' Federation unde» the heel of the colliery owners, and given the whole power of the coal trade of the country into the hands of a few men. One great swindle of the clique he referred to would have given them a profit of £100.000 in one grab, but as it was the clique had been beaten, and lost £1000. Referring to the question of food supplies, Mr Bowling said the men of the district would not let the women and children starve. He need not tell them how that could be done, nor could he do better than repeat the words of Cardinal Manning to the London dockers: •'lf you are hungry, take it." Proceeding, he said he hoped they would see that they got food for the wives and children. If the law stood in the way, causing hunger and starvation, then the law was unjust. The miners were fighting the battle of the public, because they had entered on the strike so that there might be kept away from Australia what was one of America's •reatest curses, an octopus that had its grip on America to-day. He referred to what was technically known as a "deal." THE CO-OPERATIVE SCHEME. NEGOTIATIONS 'WELL ADVANCED. QUOTATIONS FROM ABROAD. (Received 10.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. With reference to Mr. Bowling's scheme for working a colliery or collieries by the Miners' Federation, the pits mentioned are the Young Wallsend and Ebbw Vale. Negotiations are in progress, and it is understood that steps towards the completion of the agreement are well advanced.

The effects of the strike are being severely felt in Newcastle, where tho export of coal for the week just ended was 1800 tons, compared with 10,000 tons the previous week and 80,000 tons for the corresponding week last year. The general trade of the town is at a standstill. ' Advices have been received in Sydney that a shipment of coal has already left Hong Kong for Australia, and quotations have been received from Natal and Japan for cargoes delivered within a month. Reports from other States indicate that the. effects of the strike are becoming serious in Melbourne. There is an increasing tendency to reduce the hands employed by the large manufacturing commercial establishments. All existing coal- supply contracts in Melbourne, terminated yesterday,, the contractors taking advantage of the strike clauses in their agreements. ;The Australian Paper Mills Proprietary closed its works in Melbourne and Geelong from lack 'of coal. Asked in the House whether he had not power, under the Law of Eminent Domain, to work the mines as President Roosevelt intended to do at one time in America, Mr. Deakin stated 'that the Law of Eminent Domain did not exist to the same extent in Australia as in America. The Commonwealth Government had not centrol over lands as the American" Government had.

A minerj Christopher Tessimond, was drowned at Bulli (New South Wales) through the capsizing of a boat in the •breakers. The boat contained three men, who went fishing. The wind suddenly rose, causing a choppy sea; and an attempt -was made to beach the boat through the breakers at Austinmer •beach. The craft capsized, and Tessimond disappeared at once. Hie two companions rsucceeded in. reaching the shore with some difficulty. , It. is thought .that, the boat, in capeiiiag, iCeaeimoad *ad atuuud him.