IDLE MINES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 5, 7 January 1930, Page 10

IDLE MINES

THE MYSTERY DEEPENS

AUSTRALIAN TANGLE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 2nd January.

Nothing seems to be more- uncertain than the actual position of the coal dispute in New South Wales. Since the flare up on the northern fields, when one miner was killed as the result of police action, there has been no repetition of violence, but even so it would not be safe to say that danger had passed. There are many who fear that the worst has yet to come. The coal fields areas have been, filled with rumours, some of them of startling character, and it is feared that the old adage still holds good, "Where there's smoke there's fire."

Evidence is not lacking that the miners Sire merely staying their hand pending the decision- of the Full Court of the High Court of Australia on the finding of Judge Beeby, of the Federal Arbitration Court, in favour of the men. The owners are contesting the validity of this interim award, which ordered the re-opening of the mines on pre-dispute conditions, and the question arises whether the Federal Court had power to intervene in a dispute that was confined to one State. It would seem that in order to make sure'of its ground the Miners' Federation has set itself the easy task of creating an intef: State dispute. Whereas the owners have been seeking to lower wages, the federation has served demands for increased wages and Bhorter hours, and for various other concessions which it must know the owners will not grant. Ever since,-the dispute started the Western and Southern miners in New South Wales have remained at work, and have contributed to the upkeep of their fellows in the North. Now the South and the West have decided that unless the new demands are ' granted early in the New Year they will not work. Similar decisions in Queensland and Victoria are not unlikely. ■ Then the dispute will be inter-State indeed.

If tho High Court decides that the Beeby award was constitutional it will mean that the State of New' South Wales will have to abandon-the working of the Bothbury mine by free labour, for to continue to do so would be to defy the law of the Comonwealth, and no State Government would be prepared to take that risk. Meanwhile, things are not going very smoothly at Bothbury, and although the free labourers have been there for nearly a fortnight under strong police protection not ono ton of coal has been transported from the mine. It seems that many of the free labourers were inexperienced men, and it is known that many of them, finding 'the conditions .too severe, have already left. The cost of upkeep of the freo labourers and the strong police guard has been enormous, ■ and it would be impossible to sell the coal at a profit at anything like the price that would make it an economical proposition. Of course, the opening of the. mine by the State was nothing more than a gesture at the best, and nobody imagined that the State would bo able to sell coal at a profit. Bothbury is 'certainly- causing the Government grave concern, and perhaps an enforced closing would be welcomed.