COAL CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 133, 7 June 1929, Page 7

COAL CRISIS.

MEN IN UGLY MOOD.

N.S.W. Dispute Taken From

Hands Of Leaders.

ONE GLIMMER OF HOPE.

(Australian and X.Z. Press Association.)

(Received 11 a.m.)

SYDNEY, this day,

The seething discontent in the coalfields culminated yesterday in the men taking the dispute out of the hands of their leaders and the picketing by 800 miners of the Hebburn Collieries. In the early morning 400 miners marched four miles to Hebburn. Barricades of logs were thrown across the road to block the colliery staff cars. Undoubtedly there would have been ugly incidents but the plans had leaked out, and not only was a strong posse of police present, but the management had warned all the colliery staff men not to attend the colliery.

At the meeting at which the withdrawal of the safety men and the question of the general strike were discussed there was no violence on sabotage, but veiled threats of drastic action were made. The crowd, which was then reinforced by several hundred others, marched in a body to each of the houses of the members of the colliery staff, who were warned against handling coal. The mob was escorted by police.

A promising development in the coal deadlock was the announcement that representatives of the coal owners and miners would meet to arrange a round table conference of, all parties.