Preliminary Moves Made In N.S.W.

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24750, 15 December 1945, Page 7

Preliminary Moves Made In N.S.W.

IRONWORKERS SEEK RE-REGISTRATION (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) < Rec - 11 p m ' ) SYDNEY, December 14. An ap3)lscation for re-registPation as an industrial union of employees was lodged to-day with the State Industrial Registrar As4dp!tk)n South Wales divlsion the Federated Ironworkers* w e «u. rßt - S hf i l t t W “ dS a settlement of the strikes In New South Wales which have paralysed industry and thrown hundreds of thousands of people out of work in recent weeks The miners’ leaders are expected to direct a resumption of work on all coalfields in New South Wales oh Monday. The collapse of the shipping strike te also imminent. Fourteen days must elapse before the hearing of the ironworkers application can commence. The unioh is requested to insert a copy of its application in one metropolitan daily hewspaper and serve a Copy of the application on every union likely to be affected. Within 14 days of the publication of the notice any union may lodge ah objection to the application. Although the law vacation Commences oh Monday, the president of the Industrial Commission, determining the Urgency of the matter, could reassemble the Court. A Federal Prime Minister (Mr J. B. Chifley) said to-dav that he had strong hopes of a Settlement of the New South Wales industrial dispute.

Mi- Chißey said: “On behalf of the Commonwealth Government, 1 have enunciated a main principle —that every avenue by which the differences between the ironworkers arid the Broken Hill Proprietary could be adjusted should he expiated through the State industrial Cominissibn which is dealing with the matters hi dispute. The settlement of industrial disputes by conciliation and arbitration is a plank in the Labour Party’s platform which was confirmed by the recent Federal cdhfetehca of the Australian LUUtour, Party.” With the expectation, of a resumption of w. ■ k by the coal miners, strenuous efforts ere being made to settle a dispute between the Miners’ tjhibn and the, Federated Englnedrivers' and Firemen’s Association. This arose because members of the Englnedrivers’ and Firemen’s Association objected to members of the Miners’ Federation doing what they claimed was enginedrivers’ work at a cblliery. It originally affected 1.7 cplliefies and rendered 4000 miners idle. This dispute has been described as the “forgotten strike.” Representatives o r the Miners' Federation and the Federated Enginedrivers' and Firemen’s Association are meeting the Minister of Supply (Senator W. P. Ashley) on the demarcation dispute. Union officials expect a basis of rgreement to be reached which will enable a resumption of work at all the pi’ s affected on Monday. ‘The striking seamen will make their decision after mass meetings of the ironworkers on strike at Port K v mb 1 a and Newcastle.” said the gen-e--I secretsry of the Seamen’s Union (Mr E, V. Elliott), Though the seaman have grievances of their own. it was believed that they would follow the ironworkers and miners back to wr-k.

call on our men to go back they will not' obey us as readily as they did when we asked them to cease work.” Moderate miners’ leaders are expected to insist on aggregate meetings so that an indication m’ay be obtained of the general opposition among miners to Communist-led strikes. Saying that the coal, steel, and shipping strikes are about to end, the Sydney Morning Herald” adds that ade ü biun circles the decision of the Ironworkers’ Union is interpreted as a crushing defeat for the Coijitnunlsts.. Union officials said that the Communist officials of the Ironworkers’. Miners' and Seamen's Unions had defied the trade union movement and the Labour Party. They had been forced to capitulate in the face of growing resehtment among unionists and risitig public ahgter at a continuance of the strikes.

Until work on the coalfields is actually resumed, no relaxation of. the gas and electricity restficlibns will be permitted, and even then most of the restrictions are likely to continue for some time.

Meanwhile, railway services have been further curtailed arid there is no likelihood of their b.eing restored until the lag in coal supplies has been overtaken. No holiday trains will be run in New South Wales during the Christmas and New Year holidays. The country will have to rely on tti-weekly mail trains. The inter-State expresses will continue to run.

The Victorian Railway Commissioner has announced cuts of up to 80 per cent, in country train services. Severe gas rationing will continue in Melbourne until more coal is received from New South Wales. The Premier (Mr A. Cain) said that Victoria was facing the most serious emergency in Its history because of the coal shortage. He did not expect that any more coal would be received from New South Wales before Christmas.

Tne president of the Miners' Federation (Mr H. C. Wells) said that if a sattlement was reached to-day, he did wit know whether the miners would be directed to return tb Work or whether aggregate meetings of the men would be called. He added: “I see no reason to believe that if we

Forty ships were idle yesterday in Australian ports, and many other sailings have been delayed. Lighting restrictions prevented night work oh about 35 ships in Sydney harbour.

PACIFIC AIR COMMISSION

British-australian SERVICE NEW ZEALAND JOINS IN DISCUSSIONS CANBERRA, December 14. The establishment of a Pacific Air Commission' to operate a .full passenger, mail, and air freight service between Britain and Australia and linking up with New Zealand; was discuss£d at talks between the Commonwealth and New Zealand Governments yesterday. A delegation from New Zealand, headed by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hbn. D. G. Sullivan), is here to discuss aviation matters, as Well as trade questions. The proposal for an air commission fits in with the Australian and New Zealand conviction in the control and operation under Government ownership of a system of air trunk routes by the Governments of the British Commonwealth.

. Announcing that the discussions had included the setting up of a Pacific Air Commission, the Commonwealth* Minuter of Air (Mr A. S. Drakeford) said that the commission would include the United Kingdom. Other civil aviation matters of mutual interest to the two countries were discussed. Mr Drakeford said that the discussions would proceed further on an official level during the visit of the New Zealand delegation. No binding decisions on the probable British Commonwealth aerial service to be set up can be reached at the conference, because Britain must advance her views The visit of the delegation Was expedited by the news that the Royal Air Force Transport Command was anxious to end the Pacific service, because of the costs involved, Australia. New Zealand, and Britain are anxious that an Empire service should be introduced as soon as possible to replace the military All Red service.

EMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND

MANY INQUIRIES IN LONDON (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.i

(Rec. 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. ‘ Many Europeans wish to emigrate to New Zealand, in addition to a Targe number of people in the United Kihgdom.

Roughly 10 per cent, of 150 inquiries made by mail or callers at New Zealand House. London, come from Continental people. The largest proportion are from Norway, and others are from Holland, Belgium, France, and Poland. All types, professions, and trades are represented by those inquiring—from doctors to farmers. Some have capital, others nothing. Sometimes applications are made by one person on behalf of groups of 30 or 40 other persons.' Societies such as me Scottish and Polish Societies make application. Other applications come from refugee committees. In all cases, the answer is the same, namely that no immigration is being considered by the New Zealand Government until all New Zealand servicemen and women have returned and are employed

Freed o ™ of London.—The freedom W the City of London is to be conferred on Field-Marshal Sir Harold Alexander.—London; December 13.

Australian air services

Private Operators’

Position

JUDGMENT OF HIGH

COURT

(Rec. 11 p.mj SYDNEY, Dec. 14. The Australian National Airlines Act of 1945 will not empower the Federal Government to prevent private companies from running inter-State air services. This was made clear in a judgment delivered in the High Court to-day in a case in which the validity of legislation was challenged. Five Judges were unanimous in overruling demurrers entered by the Commonwealth claiming that the legislation was valid. The Chief Justice (Sir John Latham) said: “The result of the judgment is that the Court decides unanimously that the Australian Airlines Act is valid except in so isr as it would prevent the issue of an airline licence to anyone except the Australian National Airlines Commission for inter-State service between the same stopping places as a service of the commission or would bring to an end existing airline licences of that kind. To that extent the Court decides that the provisions of the act are invalid. The Court also decided that the amendment made in tne Air Navigation Regulations purporting to give unqualified discretion to grant or refuse an airline licence is invalid.”

TTie High Court judgment followed an action against the Commonwealth by three companies operating interstate lines and routes between the States and Federal territories challenging the validity of the act on the ground that it Infringed freedom of trade and commerce as defined by the Constitution.

CHRISTIAN REFORM LEGION

MASKED MEN RAID HEADQUARTERS

(Hr a. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 14. Twelve masked men and two women last night raided the headquarters of the Legion of Christian Reformers at Kingdon House. They seized and gagged and roped the custodian, Mr Arthur Schneider, and dumped him in the Petworth market square three miles away. The gang seized a large quantity of Legion literature. Captain E. St. Barbe Baker the Legion’s leader, later described the raid as a stunt by a certain section of the press, saying he recognised several as newspapermen when their masks' fell off.

Captain Baker denied that the raiders left a note saying they were all young officers in the services and had carried out the operation because the authorities seemed to be doing nothing to stop the establishment of a Hitler cult in England. He added that ha did not pfopose. to take action. "I have already forgiven them,” he said.

General Patton May Walk Again.— The commanding officer of the Army hospital in which Lieutenant-General G. S. Patton is lying paralysed l:st night expressed the opinion that there was a good chance that the general might walk again.--London, December 13.

U.S. POLICY IN FAR EAST

Criticism In House Of Commons

ALLEGED ECONOMIC AGGRESSION (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. American policy in the Far East was criticised as “economic aggression” by Mr L. J. A. Callaghan (Labour) speaking in the HOuse of Commons on the motion for the adjournment.

Mr Callaghan alleged that the Americans were supporting Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek against the • and that Qeheralissimo Chiang s policy was the incorporating Of puppet atmies, which had formerly fought alongside the Japanese, into the National Army. “The Americans have embarked on a plan of economic aggression in the • 3n a desire to capture trade m China,” he said. ‘‘This policy will prolong the civil war which has broken out - Do not let us forget that, just as the last shots of the present war were fired in the Par East, so Were the first shots fired there ” The Foreign Secretary (Mr Ernest Bevinj. at should ask the Americans to slate clearly their foreign PS- Mr Callaghan expressed the a t Americans should withdraw their troops from Manchukuo, and that the United Nations Uo ga Jl IS hrtl GrL ui or r ll6 Three; should be responsible for condtietihg frbe. as 6 possible. " 1 " 011005 in Chind 3s soon

s! n M n£^ laE A hai l P? in ted out that Rusc“3na - Australia and many other nations who had been injured by JaprSm g r. reSSlon desired a Far Eastern Control Commission, not an Advisory Commission. J

„ J? 8 , aris told that if we insist oh a control commission. General MachnSed r esign con. verV great respect for that - e s ° ldl ? r t Jt is not a soldier’s hv mm. S not - a , 3 s°. that should be done by military minds.” di Q G n^ ra LJ acAl^ DWn Phonal dignity and position must not be allowed to stand between the Uriited Nations and an attempt to fe-educUte Japanese people and bring them into the comity of nations. “If he will P«j% le hs , *^jg i gi.t hj a d *iß JSSSTSi is *■» ** State h - J i Noel-Baker, Minister of ik tate ’ ~t'. ointe d out the difficulties of l h? w rn !l ltar ?r g . oVern P ent of Japan. He k be U P lted States Government d sh^rp W the t k ßlf ri Willing artd a J«ious Juo’ , t 0 the burdens of solving these difficulties with the Allies. There Was no suggestion that a final decision oh policy would be taken about Japan bv Other n Allies th ° Ut consbltation with the

i? United States policy in S hl k?h Npbl-Baker declared that LM. utterly repudiated Mr -Callaghan s suggestion that the Americans were attempting to establish political regarfffig Ve the th ! Gh ir e i e Gunment Tk„ V?l ng the so-called Coffimunists dßHnPi?^ er^me J?i- Was sdxioUs that ali difficulties in China should be solved without further bloodshed d I ahn quite certain that it will hbt Pf 6 -*?, k lo * ger l eral interest of the world f anybody attempts to obstruct the feoceupation of ManchukUb by fotbes of