AUSTRALIAN COAL PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 284, 28 August 1944, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN COAL PROBLEM

Criticism Of Government EARLY CENSURE MOTION LIKELY (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received August 27, 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 27. The Curtin Government this week enters Hie most critical phase of its 146 weeks of office. In spite of its substantial majorities in both Houses of the Federal Parliament, some political observers express the opinion that coal could bring about the Government’s downfall. Failure to handle this problem satisfactorily might provoke a split in the Labour camp. ' Alarm at the growing seriousness of the coal position and its effect on industry generally has caused the Australian Council of Trades Unions to call a special meeting of the Labour advisory council.' This is the most powerful committee in the Labour movement. An influential section of the party is. demanding nationalization of the mines, but some Ministers believe that even such a costly and drastic step would not guarantee the production of the coal needed.. The State Premiers at a meeting in Canberra were told that-the present coal production is 20,000 tons below full Australian consumption. The rationing which hag now been introduced aims at a Weekly saving of 24,000 tons. Coal is expected to be the subject of an early censure motion when the Federal Parliament reassembles on Wednesday for the Budget session. The Government’s expenditure of about £200,000 on the referendum will also 'be sharply criticized. The latest counting in the referendum has given the “no” an overall majority of more than 300,000, but the services votes in all States except Queensland have shown small “Yes” majorities. Apart from their criticism of the Government, the Opposition parties are likely to settle important domestic questions during the coming Parliamentary session. The main non-Labour groups in the New South Wales Democratic and Liberal Democratic parties have, now linked under the title of the United Democratic Party of Australia. Thus after several earlier amalgamation failures,- the stage is now set for exploring the possibilities of an effective national organzation of the non-Labour forces.

Public Anger Against Miners. Indicative of the rising public temper against striking coal miners who have given Mr. Curtin his greatest cause for worry is a strongly-worded; editorial in the “Sydney Morning Herald,” which has hitherto given the Government much support. The paper says: “As the full meaning of the coal shortage in dwindling transport, widespread unemployment and damage to the war effort is driven home ta the people, anger' rises against the miners who are betraying Australia and the Government which has spinelessly deferred to them. Whereas power to conscript men or to direct girls to employment has been rigorously exercised, the organized coalminers have been lef' te gc their own way, have never been asked to do a stroke of overtime, and have been bribed, cajoled and treated generally as a privileged industrial class.

“Their return has been to sabotage the rest of the nation’s war effort and bring the Government into contempt. There is still time for the Prime Minister to redeem his own Cabinet’s reputation, but if a complete break is not made without the pusillanimity of the past and if the Government does not stand up to the miners, public opinion will begin to cast round for alternatives. The largest majority in Parliament is not proof against the disintegrating effects of popular revulsion and disdain.”