NEW SOUTH WALES COAL STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 83, 2 January 1930, Page 3

NEW SOUTH WALES COAL STRIKE

INCREASED COSTS THE TROUBLE

'.POLITICIAN GIVES SOME SIDELIGHTS Dominion Special Service. Auckland, December 31. Some sidelights on the coal strike in New South Wales were given by Mr. E. 8. Marks, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, who arrived at Auckland from Sydney by the Maunganui. on a holiday visit. New Zealand has a great attraction for Mr. MBarks, who, apart from his political activities, is one the leading figures in mbst branches of Australian sport. This will be his third successive holiday, in New' Zealand, and altogether he: has visited . the Dominion thirteen times. Root of the Trouble. “The coal strike .was responsible very largely for a most strenuous Parliamentary session,” Mr. Marks said. “The shooting at Rothbury was a most regrettable incident, and it will be a long time before it is forgotten. The Premier (Mr. T. R. Bavin) is determined to re-establish the coal- industry on a sound economic basis, but he is faced with many difficulties. The great increase in the cost of production is at the root of all the trouble, and, coupled with increased costs, there has been a reduction in the demand owing to the growth of the use' of oil fuel. In 1925 the total output from New South Wales mines was G,C00,000 tons, and by 1928 this dropped to 0,000,000 tons. The price of coal in 1916 was 12/- a ton, and in 1927 was £l/6/-. From being the cheapest in the world 16 years ago, Australian coal has now become the dearest. The smaller demand is most serious. If the mines were reopened to-morrow on the conditions demanded by the miners there would not be sufficient -work offering to keep them open more than intermittently. I-visited Newcastle recently, and estimated that there are between 4000 and 5000 more men than the industry can absorb, The industry must be reorganised. Even under the proposed reduction the miners would earn from £l/8/9 to £l/16/9 a day. Other Industries Affected. “Not only the coal industry was affected by the heavy costs of production in Australia,” Mr. Marks added. Practically every industry of any importance was feeling the pinch. In this direction, in some secondary industries production costs were becoming almost prohibitive, even though the industry received the benefit of a protective tariff.

Factors other than the ooaL strike made the last session of th" ' New South Wales Parliament most arduous, Mr. Marks continued. No pairs were granted at any time by the Labour Party, and with several Government supporters on the sick list, the voting on a number of important divisions was exceptionally close. Feeling between - the-parties was very bitter, and Mr. Bavin had to fight, hard to amend or abolish -several Bills passed 'by the previous Lang Government. New Zealand as a Holiday Resort.

“Australians are paying more attention to New Zealand as a holiday resort,” Mr. Marks said. They are learning something of the manifold attractions you have to offer, and as there is no'very great distance between the two countries, the tourist traffic will probably increase to a great extent. Several of my colleagues intend to come over here for a holiday during the next few weeks.”