IRON INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 247, 11 July 1908, Page 5

IRON INDUSTRY.

LITHGOW WORKS. : CLOSED DOWN-FIVE HUNDRED IDLEI: (BT TELEOBAPH—PBESS A SSOCIATION—COPYEIOHT.) , Sydney," July 9. The Lithgow ironworks closed down tonight, throwing 500 men idle. Tho closing of. the works was the outcome of a ,ballot of the employees, who, by a considorable majority; decided not to accept the proposed reduction in wages. ' The result will seriously affect, the town of Lithgow. ; NATIONALISATION. DECISION OF LABOUR CONFERENCE. Brisbane, July 10. ; 'At the Conference of the Federal Labour tarty the nationalisation of the iron indusiry 'was re-affirmed after a lengthy debate. . WAGE-REDUCTION OR BONUS? The Labour party failed to carry nationalisation of .the iron industry in the. Commonwealth Parliament Jast : sessijn. The Manufactures Encouragement Bili (Iron Bonus Bill) was shelved towards the- end of the session, because (according to some accounts) Sir William Lyne. failed to fight it-through. Mr. G. H. Reid declares that the Bill was. "stoutly contested by the free traders for.one reason, and by the Labour party for another reason, • namely, nationalisation." At any rate, tho Bill did not pass, the. bonus did not eventuate, and now Messrs. G; and C. Hoskins, of the • Lithgow ironworks, state that they are working at a loss, and that they cannot continue unless the employees accept a redaction in ; wages, to bo refunded if and when tho Bonus Bill passes. The men refuse to accept the reduction, and tho works, on which tho township of Lithgow largely/depends, are . closed down. V

"The men,' of course, have the* right to refuse to sell their labour if the price offered does not suit theip (says the "Sydney Morning Herald"),' and tho proprietors havo equally the right to closo down their works if they see only the prospect of working at : loss. Common sense suggests that the proper course \is to carry on if possible/ and share the hard times which may bo left behind in a few months.: Mr. Hoskins has made a reasonable offer, ana the,men will bo very unwise if they refuse it. . . . Even' if, as ii stated,'the terms only work ont at tenpence per hour for'the lowest grade of labour, that is not to be despised when the alternative is unemployment and a severe setback to tho Lithgow district." ■ . . Mr. Sandford, former owner of the Lithgow works, estimated that he would bo able to produce pig-iron at a cost of 365. per ton. It is said that tho cost as realised by Messrs. Hoskins is much greater. ' .