NEW DEMANDS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19813, 28 December 1929, Page 13

NEW DEMANDS.

I MINERS WANT INCREASE I IN WAGES. DEVELOPMENT IN COAL DISPUTE. (TTST.TSV FKES3 ASSOCIATION—ST ELECTEIC TEL2SEAPH —COPYSIGHT.) (Received December 27th, 7.2-5 p.m.) SYDNEY. December 27. Surprise demands, designed, the i owners say, to create an inter-State dispute, have served by the Aus- ' tralasian Coal and Shale Employees' f Federation upon all western and norj them mine owners, and have been sent to mine owners throughout the ' Commonwealth. ! The demands are for an increase ot j 9d per ton in the hewing rates, with proportionate increases for contract work, wheelers to be paid lljd per ton extra, with a further 2d for each forty yards over one hundred yards. The minimum wage is to be not less than 2os Id per shift. A contract worker failing to earn £5 10s per week through no fault of his own is to have his wage made up to that amount. The hours are to be forty per week and from bank to bank. Payment weekly to be made instead of fortnightly. The new conditions are to operate from January Ist next. One owner commented that no mine in the Commonwealth could _ pay the wages demanded. The claims were made as absurd as possible to create an inter-State dispute before the High Court hears the coal case on January 6th. WORK RESUMED AT ROTHBURY MINE. HEARING OF OWNERS' APPEAL. (Received December 27th, 9.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 27. The Bothbury colliery resumed work to-day after two days' holiday. Everything is proceeding smoothly. The Chief Justice, Sir Adrian Knox, was engaged all day in the preliminary hearing of evidence and argument on the owners' applications to test the validity of Judge Beeby's coal award. He is appealing to the parties to avoid technicalities, which should be left for the High Court to deal with. .(Received December 27th, 11.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 27. The hearing was adjourned till tomorrow.