PUBLIC-SPIRITED. NEWCASTLE COAL STRIKE. A GOOD EXAMPLE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1909, Page 5

PUBLIC-SPIRITED. NEWCASTLE COAL STRIKE. A GOOD EXAMPLE.

GO.VEBNMENT WILL CHECKMATE ATTEMPTS AT "BLEEDING." By Telegraph.— Preag Association.— Copyright, (Received December 4, 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Premier, Mr. Wade, has issued a statement showing that the Bellarabi Coal Company offered the Railway Commissioners 7000 tons of coal at prices prevailing before the strike, and that the offer has been accepted. The Premier commended this public-spirited action to other owners, and added that if private owners attempted to exploit the public the Government would step in and secure coal from any source. They would checkmate any attempt to bleed the community. FUTILE EFFORTS TO EFFECT A SETTLEMENT. MR. WADE CONVEYS INFORMATION TO JUDGE HEYDON. COLLIERIES BOARD FOR NEWCASTLE. SYDNEY, 3rd December. in the Industrial Court to-day the President, Mr. Justice Heydon, read a letter from Mr. Wade, Premier, officially informing him that all efforts to effect a settlement of the coal trouble by a conference, or to secure the appointment of a board under the Industrial Disputes Act, had proved futile. Mr. Wade conveyed this, his official information, in order that Mr. Justice Heydon might consider the desirableness of taking any further action he thought necessary in the public interest under the powers conferred by the Industrial Disputes Act. The President announced that, a Collieries Board would be appointed at Newcastle to deal with the matters in dispute, and then adjourned the matter till Saturday morning to allow of the appointment of a board. LABOUR PARTY CAUCUS. PROPOSALS "TURNED DOWN" BY . PROPRIETORS. MR. HUGHES On"~THE POSITION. SYDNEY, 3rd December. Proposals for a settlement of the strike were formulated at a caucus of the Labour party and submitted to the Strike Congress to-day. It is suggested that both parties should withdraw their letters to Mr. Wade and start negotiations de novo. The proprietors turned the proposals down, but the Congress, thougli it ,has sent no official reply yet, is understood to be favourable. Mr. Hughes stated to-night that the position, far from bringing the parties together, was now hopeless. P. AND 0. STEAMER PALERMO. LUMPERS' UNION WILL NOT WORK HER COAL. CREW COMMENCE THE TASK. SYDNEY, 3rd December. After a protracted discussion the Lumpers' Union decided by a large majority not to work the Palermo's coal. The company this afternoon started the crew of the Palermo to unload the coal, which is being placed in the bunkers of the liner Macedonia by her crew. [The Strike Congress decided that a coal cargo which arrived from Japan should be handled, but the Coal Lumpurs' Union objected that the importation of coal was a blow at the Southern mines, which have a contract to supply the P. and O. steamers.] The action of the Lumpers' Union is regarded as serious, and further developments in connection with the handling of imported coal are not improbable. RUNNING WITH THE HARE AND HUNTING WITH THE HOUNDS. MR. BOWLING AND MR. HUGHES. A DIFFERENCE. (Received December 4, J. 0.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Mr. Peter Bowling informed an interviewer that he was not surprised that the coal lumpers had refused to handle the Palermo's coal. He did not think any self-respecting unionist would handle "scab" coal. When Mr. Hughes heard of Mr. Bowling's statement, he gave his views to the press. He declared that Mr. Bowling's attitude was different from that which he had assumed at the Strike Congress. He must decline to permit Mr. Bowling, or any other man, tfr "run with the hare and hunt with the hounds." Mr. Bowling voted for the resolution in favour of the coal being handled, and even offered to go to the coal lumpers and tell them to handle it. RAILWAY DEPARTMENT'S REQUIREMENTS. PRICE OFFERED CONSIDERED TO BE INADEQUATE. A THREAT. SYDNEY, 3rd December. The Railway Department has intimated that it will require the whole of the- coal from the Ebbw Main and Young Wallsend pits. The management, however, considers the price offered by the department is inadequate, and unless better terms are <jffered it threatens to close the mines. BRITISH COAL. LARGE SHIPMENTS FOlt AMERICA. LONDON, 3rd December. Very large shipments of coal are being sent to the West Coast of America as the result of the falling off in Australian shipments. STEAMER LOADING ON THE TYNE. OTHER VESSELS TO BE "DESPATCHED. (Received December 4, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, 3rd December. . The steamer Devonshire, on the Tyno, ja loading 5000 tona of steamer coal for Australia,

Arrangements are being made to despatch half-a-dozen other steamers to Australia with coal. SYDNEY'S LIGHTING. PREPARING TO USE KEROSENE. COAL BALLAST. (Received December 4, 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The electric lighting of Sydney can be maintained till 10th January, but gaslighting will cease in eleven days. The municipal authorities are fitting up lamps to burn kerosense. The Railway Commissioners are fitting up several locomotives to take oil fuel. I ADELAIDE, This Day. Another French ship has arrived with Welsh coal as ballast.