PLANS FOR FEDERAL CONTROL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 14074, 31 May 1946, Page 3

PLANS FOR FEDERAL CONTROL

AUSTRALIAN COAL INDUSTRY

POSTPONING STRIKE THREAT

Sydney, May 30

The central council of the Miners’ Federation will be asked to-day to postpone its decision on the recommendations for an immediate general coal -strike until the Federal Cabinet-meets on Tuesday. The general president of the Federation, Mr. IT. Welts, said that Commonwealth Government plans for long-range control cf the industry bad resulted from talks between the Prime Minister, Mr Cbifiey, and miners’ leaders in Canberra. During these discussions, he said, a way had been found within the wage-pegging regulations to meet the minors’ claim for increased pay for* certain contract workers. This was the issue which led to. the recommendations from three New South Wales districts that the central council should call a general strike. Cabinet will shortly draft a bp] to establish Commonwealth control of the coal indhstry. The proposal aims to prevent New South Wales, which produces 75 per cent of Australia’s coal, from gaining any industrial advantage over States which produce little or no ccal. A conference of Federal Labour members and Victorian State Ministers in Melbourne'agreed'- to press for equitable, distribution of coal between States. Meanwhile. New South Wales miners, happy at the prospect of obtaining a quick and favourable settlement of all their disputes, have established a postwar record by producing more than 141,000 tons of coal in three working days.

On all fields only 9000 tons .of production have been lost since Monday, and there have been fewer than half a dozen stoppages through disputes. Even so, one mine lost 300 tons because men knocked off to attend a funeral.