LABOUR WAR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 692, 17 December 1909, Page 7

LABOUR WAR.

WADE'S PENALTIES BILL.

MR. HUGHES* MISSION,

PROSPECT OF RESUMPTION IN OTHER

DISTRICTS,

(By TclcEraph—ProßS ABSoolatlon-OopyrleM.l ] (Rec. December 16, 8.15 p.ra;) ,•-.■■. Sydney, December 16. In tho State Assembly, in roply to a question, the Promicr, Mr. Wade, stated that Mr. W. M. Hughes, Striko Congress leader, sought .an interview with him yesterday and'niado a proposal that tho Southern minors (who struck in.sympathy with tho Northern miners) would go back to work 'if tho Government would sacrifice its members now sitting,on the Minors' Wages Board and remove him. His (Mr. Wade's) answer to Mr. Hughes was that.if that was tho price of work being resumed, then ho would say: "Absolutely no." Mr. Wad«' moved tho' suspension of the Standing Orders to permit tho passage at ono sitting of a Bill to amend the Industrial Disputes Act by prohibiting certain monopolies and certain contracts, agreements, and combinations in restraint of trade.'; In moving this motion, he said he regretted that at a late stagoof the session tho Government had to seek the power asked for in the motion to deal with tho industrial crisis. The present continued turmoil, .discomfort, and suffering, and the prospect of similar occurrences in the future, were the Government's reasons for asking for power to interfere. The Oppositionists (Labour) protested against rushjng such an important measure, and he declared,that thore was no need, for panic legislation. ■■'.'.'■'. The closuro. was applied, and the motion was carried. Mr. Wade then moved the. introduction of the Bill.

HUGHES AND BOWLING. RECRIMINATIONS. : "PLAYING 'THE MASTERS'> GAME.".'..' v ' Sydney,- December ,IG. In .connection.with his mission to Newcastle, Mr. W,., ai.' - .'Hughes, (who /sways the btrUo Vougress,, as against 'tile Peter Bowling typo of leader) addressed a largo meeting of miners last night. , , . • '.■'

Did Newcastle.'Colliery Owners Seek the ■'.'.■.. Trouble? .'-■'_ "Mr. Hughes said he belioycd a condition of things had. been created in the' Newcastle district which'had become, intolerable.--Ho; be. lieved. these • conditions were deliberately created by the employers, and ho also • believed that the owners have; wanted .for. many months past just such; a struggle us, th,e present one; and although they may have 1 been caught, so far as a day or a week was concerned, they had; been deliberately .bringing about such a state 'of affairs. 'It. was ; to .their financial interest to precipitate such a crisis. Ho knew i'roin a reliable source that it was the'"intention';.'of the employers : not to bring about a settlement,'till February, although they' denied it.""■', /; ■. : -':.■'_•, .'•.'.. ...;.'; ,-"v '.■;..■'■■■■'•'

In Favour of Law-Analnst a General Strike. ■'..He. had not advocated a. general'strike,.and never.would. They woro face to. face. with, a Government ;thnt would do; nothing for them. He' was present to put. down. the Ideals of the'lndustrial Workers of tho World; he was for the cause of Labour on a Constitutional basis. They were urging an unequal . fight, because there "was not a majority,, of- the Labour party ■■■.in- .';Parliament.. .:[■■ There '• was nothing wrong "with, the gun of the law. "For centuries,"'added Mr. Hughes, "you have had it turned-against learned' to despise it. Turn it round against the Vend and elsewhere, and.'you will, find nothing: so effective as this gun of the law." ! Pressure would bo brought to' bear oh the Vend, but ho ■ would not say how, as that was part :of'the cam. paign. ■ '■'• . .;■ ; ' '~',, / : '■'-..' '•; -■ ..;/:,;

Mr. Bowling Attacks Mr. Hughes. Great disorder followed the conclusion of Mr. Hughes's address. ' '

Mr. ; fowling.:accused Mr! ;H : ighes of-not taking his colleagues-into his co-'ifidence with reference! to his intention to adoress' a meeting, j Mr., Hughes had tried to draw a red herring across,the:trail. He did: not want a goneral' strike, because his'. own men would be called-out, and" he would, bo a criminal, liko." Peter','Bowling. , He believed a certain course would minimise the struggle; the present course was prolonging it.. If' the ■ leaders would not call them .out, the • men should come put themselves; and tell, the'; leaders what to do. '■■ ■ :'.'■]. :■...

Light on the Strike CongressV j.'.\ ; •.-".'■ Mr. • Hughes A again V came forward,; amid *a scene of. disorder caused* by tho rival parties. He: declared he had been invited to. come to the meeting by the. of the Miners' Federation. Ho had attacked-no man, but nevertheless; had been obliged to listen.to a tirade of personal abuse; and tittle-tattle that would disgrace an- antediluvian washerwoman... The. miners' delegates at the Strike Congress : had : kept - thein in; thb.; dark as. to the. true state of things. . He,had '.moved for a general strike on; the first-day. of the conference, unless an open conference was granted, because ho believed ■ Mr. 1 Bowling had seized the psychological When : ho had looked into the matter he found that ;the miners, at Mr. Bowling's bidding,- had played : the masters'. game'.-*? The. statement that -Mr. Bowling ; was always anxious for ; a general strike was untrue; he had moved'at the. con-: -gross,to give fourteen days' v notice.'!

The Lie Direct.—Uproar. .-".',; . Messrs.' Bowling :and Hughes, Tamid disorder; gave one another the lie, but Mr; Patcrsou, president of,.the .Miners' Federation, -testified to.the accuracy of Mr. Hughes's statement. Mr. Hughes 'declared that Mr. Bowling had said-that if he (Mr. Hughes) would agree to work -the.: Young- Wallscnd . and Ebbw Main mines, thoro would be' no' general strike. That was the bargain he : wanted made. ' .'' > ..There was tremendous uproar, and the meeting: broke up in confusion: ..-■ '•."■ [The- Young Wallsend'' and .the -Ebbw Main collieries are the "co-operative" mines .whioh' arc,being worked by' strikers' labour, on; a basis' ■of ' division of.• profit, with tho owners. Tho scheme was formulated on the miners' sido by Mr.''Bowling.]: : . . '

RESUMPTION OUTLOOK.

SOUTHERN AND WESTERN DISTRICTS,

; HUGHES IMPRESSES STRIKERS.; . . (Roc.. December 17, 1, a.m.) ." ..'••■' Sydney, December IG/ Mr. W..M. Hughes conferred with the'representatives of the Newcastle miners " and wharf labourers. Subsequently Mr..Hughes, with several of the Northern delegates to the Strike Congress, returned to Sydney. ■ The Congress is now sitting discussing their report.', ':"'■ ■ ■■ ' ."';■■ ■ A , Newcastlo messago' states that the • meeting. in Newcastle was stormy. Mr. Hughes argued that; the .cause-; of tho : Northern miners would be best served by tho Southern and the Western miners returning to work,; and ho urged the :necossity of giving the Strike' Congress supremo power. .. Tho. miners' delegates afterwards discussed the question, nud there is ground to bolievo that they fell in with Mr,;.Hughes's views.- .' ... Mr.. Mitchell, secretary. of- the Federated 'Colliory and Engine Drivers' Association, told «m lubu-oiowor that he tatendod. to tako'tho'

responsibility of advising the Southern and tho Western men to return to:w"ork. .' From other delegates it was gatherod that thoy intended to visit the Southern and tho Western .districts; during tho . next few days, but they did not disclose their purpose. CONSPIRACY CHARGES. APPEAL TO OVERSEA MINEES; FOE AID. : Sydney, December 16. . During the hearing of tho conspiracy charges against Mr. Bowling and other strike leadera at Newcastle, it was stated that tho following cablegram had been sent to Mr. E. Edwards (Labour member of the House, of Commons, being minors' member for Hanley), and to miners' secretaries in Canada and Germany:— "Thirteen thousand coal-miners on strike. Employers refuso all overtures of conference to redress grievances. They mean to starvo men into submission. Thirty thousand unionists striking in support of miners'. < Heavy financial assistance urgently required." ■■"