N.S.W. COAL MINES

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 February 1930, Page 4

N.S.W. COAL MINES

ROTHBURY RIOT VERDICT. (By Cable—Press A-ssn—Copyright.) SYDNEY, February 17. The Coroner at West Maitland, at the conclusion of a week’s investigation into the Rothbury rioting, when Norman Brown was shot dead by the police, and others were injured, returned a verdict of accidental death. The Coroner commended the action of the police during the riotings. He said they carried out their duty with forbearance and commendable restraint, and added: “There is no doubt in my mind that many rioters went to Rothbury Colliery to deal in no uncertain way with volunteers employed there. Civilians and police should use force, and if necessary firearms, in order to prevent a disturbance of such a nature. The outcome was that the police, numbering sixty, succeeded in preventing rioters from carrying out their unlawful purpose.” The Coroner also found that firearms were used by the rioters.

HIGH COURT PROCEEDINGS. MELBOURNE, February 17. Once again the Full Court has assembled at Melbourne to determine constitutional points arising from the ever-green coal dispute, the coal owners having challenged the validity of Judge Beeby’s second interim coal award. Argument is unfinished. COST OF STRIKES. SYDNEY, February 18. The Minister of Mines states that stoppages on the northern coalfields since 1919 numbered . 2928. Miners’ losses in wages were over eight and flhalf millions. In fifteen years, the coal miners, constituting 2 per cent of the total of employees in the State, caused 80 per cent of industrial disputes, and the los of-eight million working days. In five days, he added, the Rothbury Mine had produced 1121 tons of coal, the miners’ wages varying £9 to £l5. A movement is reported to have begun by the Labour Party to secure the expulsion of Mr Theodore. A special meeting of its executive will consider the Treasurer’s statement about refusing to accept dictation’ from outside bodies. IMPORTED COAL ON FIRE. PERTH, February 18. The Norwegian freighter Toranger, which arrived here with a cargo of eight thousand tons of English coal, had a narrow escape from disaster, owing to a fire in the bunkers, in which seventeen hundred tons of coal were placed at Durban. All hands not actually needed for the management of the ship were engaged for many hours in fighting the outbreak which was overcome after two hundred tons of coal were brought on deck from the hunkers.