GENERAL STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 307, 28 December 1929, Page 7

GENERAL STRIKE.

PROPOSAL REJECTED. Jtf.S.W. Miners To Picket All Closed Collieries. SCULLIN'S PLAN SCORNED. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright) ... (Received 12 noon.) SYDNEY, this day. At a combined meeting of the miners' lodge representatives at Newcastle it was decided to institute a labour defence corps in the north. lt was also decided to give the executive certain powers to deal with the Rothbury position. 'Other decisions at the meeting indicated a strong trend towards militancy. Mr. J. H. Scullin's proposal to subside production while the new award is being formulated met with a scornful and unanimous rejection. The continuous picketing of all closed mines was agreed to. A motion for a general strike, however, was defeated. Unexpected demands, which the owners say are designed to create an inter-State dispute, have been served by the Australian Coal and Shale Employees' Federation upon all the western and northern mineowners, and sent to the mineowners throughout the Commonwealth. The demands are for an increase of 9d a ton in hewing rates, with proportionate increases for contract work, wheelers to be paid 11M a ton extra, with a further 2d for each 40 yards over 100. The minimum wage demanded is to he not less than 25/1 per shift. A contract worker who fails to earn £5 10/ a week through no fault of his own is to have his wages made up to that amount. The hours are to be 40 a week, bank to bank, and payment is to be made weekly instead of fortnightly. These conditions, the demand says, arc to operate from January 1 next. One owner -commented that no mine in the Commonwealth could pay the wages demanded. The claims were made as absurd as possible in order to create an inter-State dispute before the High Court hears the coal case on January 6. The Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, Sir Adrian Knox, was engaged all day in the preliminary hearing of the evidence and argument on the owners' applications to test the validity of Mr. Justice Beeby's coalmines' award. He is appealing to the parties to avoid technicalities, which should be left for the High Court to deal with. Work was resumed yesterday at the Kothbury colliery, after two days' holiday. Everything is proceeding smoothly.