AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 October 1944, Page 5

AUSTRALIA

, INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES.

(N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent)

(Rec. 12.50) SYDNEY, Oct. 24. Continued industrial unrest in New South Wales is perturbing Labour politicians, who fear its eventual election effects. They feel that the Labour Party, as well as the trade union movement, will be dealt a serious blow if what have been described as “anarchic conditions” continue in vital industries, particularly those linked with food production and distribution. Hopes are being expressed to-day, that the present Sydney meat famine may end this week. The decision of the city’s master butchers to close all their shops is likely to be rescinded. The decision was made because ten shops were boycotted by the Employees’ Union, the employees were refusing to work on Saturday mornings. This dispute later extended, and the slaughtermen refused to kill for civilian consumption. Reopening of the shops would leave only one section of the meat industry—the employees—to be dealt with by the Arbitration Court. The Court yesterday told the meat employers and employees that they must this week show cause why their industrial organisations should not be deregistered. Both employers and employees were severely criticised by the Court for their contempt of public interest.

After a twenty-hour protest strike against the alleged delay in the hearing of their union claims now before Industrial Commission, 9000 Sydney transport workers have to-day returned to work. The Coal Miners’ Federal Council has passed a resolution urging miners to try to achieve the production target of seven million tons for the second half of the current year. The Federal Government will be asked to permit miners to take holidays from December 22 to January 8. AMERICANS LEAVING SYDNEY, October 23. Sydney will cease to be a leave centre for American troops at the end of this year. Most United States servicemen in the southern and central Pacific will then receive leave either to Hawaii or the United States. Officials of American service clubs and hospitality centres here will continue to operate until Christmas, but staffs have been reduced, and many civilian employees have alreadv left. United States Army base buildings are being vacated and departments merged.