COAL STRIKE IN AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23003, 24 April 1940, Page 9

COAL STRIKE IN AUSTRALIA

Ultimatum Given To Miners STATEMENT BY MR MENZIBS (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Received April 23, 11.30 p.m*) CANBERRA, April S3. The Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) dramatically delivered an ultimatum to the coal miners to-day when he announced in the House of Representatives that unless the mine workers decided this week to resume work and seek a settlement of their dispute by constitutional means, the Government would take steps to reopen the mines at the beginning of next Week. He added that the Government was determined that war industries &nd essential services should be maintained. In Melbourne, the Chief Judge of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court (Sir George Beeby) to-day declared: “I now state finally that

the Court will ant'eali any conference to settle the coal strike* hut if the men resume work the CoUrt will begin the hearing, immediately of any application which may be ffi&oe fot a variation of the existing aWard, and further action. Will be taken to set up conciliation committees in the coal areas.” CANADA’S TRADE WITH U.S. BIG INCREASE SHOWN (Received April 23, 9*30 p.m.) MEW York, April 22* The Washington eorre§p§ndent ef the .“Mew York ’Times” gays that Canada, in Spite Of import restrictions, appears likely to surpass Sri* tain as the United States’ best customer. , _ . Canada imported in February §0,029,000 dollars’ worth of United States goods, which was 85 per cent, above the imports in February ef last year and i,009,000 dollars above the imports in January, in spite of large arms purchases. The major Increases were in fruits,, meats. WOollen textiles, automobiles, aha machinery. GOLD BESEEVES OF NATIONS remarkable increase IN TtfttKlY (Received April 23, 10.25 pan.) GENEVA, April 23. . The League of Nations bulletin of Statistics. shows that Turkish fold reserves, which have hovered round £t,000,000 since 1036, leaped to £§2,500,000 in February and rose nearly £ 1,000,000 more in March. Turkish circles ascribe the rise mainly to Allied loans. The United States added £440,000,000 to its reserves, or 11 pet cent, ftem the outbreak of the War to the end of March. Other increases are:— SbUth Africa 24 per cent., Jugoslavia 6 per cent., ftomania 2 per tent. Sweden last £45,000,000, or half her reserve. Switzerland and Norway lest 12 per cent, each and Holland 10 per cent. French Communists Arrested.— The French police arrested 74 Communists employed in arms laitnrleS and confiscated thdusahdg Of copies 6f a clandestine newspaper.—Paris, April 22.