STRIKE CALLED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18922, 10 February 1927, Page 9

STRIKE CALLED.

NORTHERN COAL MINES WHOLE OF AUSTRALIA THREATENED. APPEAL FOR FEDERAL INTERVENTION. (BY CABLE— MUSS ASSOCIATION—CPFTIUOnT.) (AUSTRALIAN AS3 K.I CADLB ASSOCIATION.! .SYDNEY, February !'. 'I In- .Mir.eib' Delegaio Hoard has ordered a general strike in consequence of tho rejection of the men's demands for improved rales of pay and conditions.

This decision ha? to be ratified by aggregate meetings, of miners, and until these arc held there will be no work in any of the mines at the Newcastle or Maitland fields.

At the Delegate Board meeting it was decided not to fix a date for culling the aggregato meetings until the Hoard had got into touch with the Central Council in Sydney, in order that that body could fix a date for holding the aggregate meetings, as although the Northern, Executive has autonomous power in the matter, its position would bo considerably strengthened if it first received the support of the Central Council. Should the Central Council oppose the holding of aggregate meetings the Board will adhere to its original decision.

The sinister aspect of the attitude of the Northern Executive towards the Central Council is the possibility thnt with the support of the latter body the danger arises that all miners in the Commonwealth will be carried out in support of the northern miners. The whole dispute will be reviewed by the Central Council to-day, when a Northern Executive delegate will attend.

The Hon. J. M. Baddeley, Minister for Mines and Labour, has communicated with tho Rt. Hon. Stanley Bruce, Prime Minister, seeking Federal intervention He urges upon Mr Bruce the necessity for convening a conference in order to obtain a mutual agreement for local Boards to be created. At present even a complete stoppage of coal supplies will cause small immediate inconvenience, as in Sydney sufficient stocks are in hand to 'enable the industries to carry on for several weeks. There are now 15,000 miners idle in tho northern field.

ALL NORTHERN MINES IDLE. (AUSTRALIAN AUD N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received February Oth, 11.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 0. All the mines on the northern coalfield are idlo to-day in accordance with last night's decision. There iB only sufficient coal at Newcnstle to supply ships loading today, and thereafter the position will become serious. Tho leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr Charlton, and Mr Watklns, a member of the House of Representatives, have telogrnphod to Mr Bruce asking him to appoint local boards immediately as ,i means of obviating tho threatened hold-up of the mines.