LEAVING PITS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 12

LEAVING PITS.

SUPPORT MINERS.

Engine-drivers' and Firemen's

Decision.

FURTHER VESSELS IDLE.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 11 a.m.)

S\ DXE'i , this day. Engine-drivers and firemen decided k> withdraw from the northern mines for the period of the eoal strike, and it is expected that a similar decision i will be made in other fields. J Two more ships were laid up yester- | day because of the coal strike, bringm;; the number of idle vessels in the Sydney harbour to 12. five of which arc inter-State freighters. The others are I coastal colliers. ! The coal miners' officials appear to i have encountered their first setback I upon learning that the wholesale houses 'intend to withhold credit from retailers in the strike areas. The Miners' Federation had arranged with the retail stores for the acceptance of coupons in payment for provisions for the strikers' families. These coupons were to have been redeemed bv ttfC Miners' Federation during the currency of the strike. The tirst strike relief payment in New South Wales, totalling about £40.000, is due in three weeks' time. j It is expected that the retailers will i refuse to accept the coupons when the Itime arrives in view of the attitude of the wholesale merchants, thus creating a difficult situation, both for the 1 i miners and the local storekeepers, j A circular, setting out the reasons | which induced the miners to declare a ' general strike, declares that the miners j were faced with the alternative of resistance or annihilation. Unemployment is steadily increasing as the result of the strike. There are now 20,000 idle miners, 2000 enpine-drivers. 600 i engineers, in addition to 400 maritime -workers.