AUSTRALIAN COAL DISPUTE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18923, 11 February 1927, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN COAL DISPUTE.

FEDERAL CABINET MEETS. NO POWER TO INTERVENE. (By casle—rr.ESs association - —ccrY-v-saT. 1 (avstp.alia:; axd cable asscciatio.v -MELBOURNE, February 10. lue Federal Cabinet discussed the coal dispute, when it was pointed out that it was outside the constitutional powers of the Federal authorities to set up Boards in the form desired by the miners. -Mr Bruce indicated that had the electors decided to grant to the Commonwealth the oroauer industrial powers which the .Ministry asked for at the last referendum, it would have been in a position to take action at such a juncture as the present. The Federal Attorney-General, the Hon. cjir Littleton Groom, stated that the power of the Commonwealth Government in relation to industrial disputes was restricted to those which were ot an intei-State character, and that the Industrial I'cacc Act contained no provision for compelling persons appointed by the Governor-General to sit on a board, and since the employers declined to appoint representative.* to sit on local imariii; it was impossible to appoint such boards.

SHIPS HELD UP IN AUCKLAND. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, February 10. Jn consequence of the strike ol coalminers in New South Wales the Inion citeam ship Company has ordered two of its steamers, the kauri and the Jvaituua, to be helu at Auckland pending a settlement of the trouble. The Kauri, which is at present unloading coal at the Western wliarl, was to have been dispatched for Newcastle at noon to-morrow to load a cargo of coal for Auckland, but the company decided that in view of .the sudden developments on the New South \\ ales coalfields it would be unwise to send the vessel to an Australian coal port. She will therefore remain at Auckland until further orders. The other steamer affected, the Kaituna, has been in port since October 9th, but was to have been recommissionecl and dispatched for Westport at noon to-day. The strike at Newcastle, however, caused the Kaponga to be diverted from Australia to Westport, and in those circumstances it has been deemed unnecessary to put the Kaituna into commission. The vessel will therefore remain in the stream.