AUSTRALIA ALSO

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 91, 14 October 1943, Page 5

AUSTRALIA ALSO

MR.CURTIW'S ATTITUDE

(Special P.A. Correspondent.) Rec. 11 a.m. SYDNEY, This Day. Two million tons of coal have been lost this year in New South Wales as a result of absenteeism and strikes, according to a statement by Mr. Curtin, Federal Prime Minister. In the past nine months Australia has been deprived of the equivalent of onesixth of the Commonwealth's annual pre-war production. The Prime Minister also declared thattmore than 90 per cent, of the economic disturbance to Australia's conduct of the war occurred in New South Wales. Political correspondents report that at a Canberra meeting of the Labour caucus several members advocated the nationalisation of 'Australia's coal industry. Alternatively, some form of J Government or other national control of mines for the duration of the war was suggested. This statement, qf opinion is opposed to the Prime Minister's policy, because on Monday Mr. iCurtin said that the Federal Government had no intention of nationalising the coal industry or taking control of it during the war. The caucus meeting was told that the Government had been advised that it would have to reduce coal consumption by 30,000 tons a week. This would be done by reducing railway services to save 12,500 tons a week, reducing factory consumption to save a similar amount, and imposing rationing on domestic power ;and light services to save 5000 tons a week. Denying that he had "dragooned" the miners or had sought to impose political dictates on management, Mr. Curtin said:. "I regard the coal miner's life as rotten, and his conditions as deplorable. I know that for decades miners have had to fight for everything that has [ been done for them. I am conscious of the legacy of suspicion and animosity associated with this industry. But at present both miners and owners should accept a trusteeship in service to the nation at a time when it is struggling for survival."