A FAILURE. MR. LEE'S MEDIATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 129, 27 November 1909, Page 5

A FAILURE. MR. LEE'S MEDIATION.

ONLY ONE PARTY ACCEPTS. STRIKERS APPEALING FOR „ FUNDS. By Telegraph.— Preia Association.— Copyright. (Received November 27, 9.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The efforts of Mr. Lee, Acting-Pre-mier, to arrange a meeting to-day between the parties to the Newcastle coal strike have failed. The Strike Congress accepted the proposal; but the Southern and Western proprietors declined. The Northern proprietors telegraphed that they had not had time to decide the question. A manifesto to the unions throughout the Commonwealth has been issued by the Strike Congress, appealing for funds. FEDERAL INTERFERENCE ASKED FOR. POWER LACKING. WILL ACT IF OPPORTUNITY OFFERS. (Received November 27, 9.55 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. In the Federal House, the Government was urged to take action towards settling the strike. In reply, Ml-. Deakin said he considered that Federal action was not justi- 1 lied in the present state of the law and the circumstances of the strike. The Government, said the Premier, was watching, and the first opportunity, if the Cbmmonw%alth' powers will permit intervention, will be taken advantage of. LARGE AMOUNT OF TONNAGE IDLE. DREDGES STOP OPERATIONS. (Received November 27, 10.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. There are twenty-two steamer*,, and sixteen sailing vessels, of a total tonnage of 100,000, laid up at Newcastle. One serious effort of the shortage of coal is that dredges at Newcastle and at some of the bar harbours, have stopped operations. "TAKING SIDES." THE COMMISSIONER'S EXPLANATION. SYDNEY, 26th November. With reference to the charge that the^ railway officials are taking sides against* the strikers, the commissioners state that it is inaccurate to say they refuse to haul coal. What they have decided upon is not to use up their stocka of coal in the haulage of coal, unless they are allowed to have first call on supplies taken from the mines, at a reasonable price. Owing to the strike, the ' Railway 'Commissioners have decided to curtail the, railway and tram services, coal supplies now being short. WOOL BUYERS ABSTAIN FROM OPERATING. SYDNEY, 26th November. The wool buyers have decided to refrain from purchasing at the wool sales, owing to the strike. PRACTICAL SYMPATHY. A NOTICE OF MOTION. [bi tblegbaph— press .\SBooiation.l DUNEDIN, 26th November. At a meeting of the Harbour Board to-day, Mr. W. Belcher gave notice of motion as follows : — "That this "board expresses and records its sympathy with the miners and their dependents low struggling for freedom at Newcastle; that wg_deplore the obstinacy and stupidity of the employers who have driven miners to revolt against unfair conditions, thus causing widespread loss and inconvenience to the community generally, and that the board's practical sympathy with the miners be shown by voting £25 to the fund now being raised' for the assistance of the miners."