AUSTRALIAN DISPUTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 November 1945, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN DISPUTES

MORE MINES IDLE GENERAL STRIKE THREAT SYDNEY, Nov.' 22. A. general coal strike now seems likely unless there, is a speedy settlement .of the steel works dispute at Newcastle and Port Kembla. Twelve collieries were idle to-day in sympathy with the steel strikers. These mines produce 12,770 tons of coal a day and employ more than 3000 men. The men at eight collieries to-day decided to stop work because of alleged handling of coal from the pit of the Broken Hill proprietary by non-union labour. In deciding to strike the rank and file of the members at a pit top meeting instructed thfeir officers to urge the central executive of the Miners’ Federation to extend the strike to all mines in the State unless there was swift and satisfactory settlement of the steel disputes. 1 EXTREMISTS DEFEATED (Rec. 12.10 p.in-.) SYDNEY, November 23. Extremists received a severe rebuff last night when the New South Wales Trades and Labour Council affirmed its policy of arbitration and conciliation and on a vote requested the Ironworkers’ Federation to apply to the Industrial Commission for re-registra-tion. This decision revealed overwhelming support for the anti-Com-munist section and is an endorsement of the moderate unions who are opposing any extension of the present steel strikes. The ironworkers’ Federation was by the Full Court of Industrial Commission following what was termed “a deliberate and premeditated challenge to .the authority of the Commission.” The .spokesman for the Ironworkers Union indicated at last night’s meeting of the Labour Council that they would seek re-registration “when it suited the Union to do so.” WEWAK TROOPS’ RATIONS. . CANBERRA, November 22. Army rations in the Wewak area were below the authorised scale from October 1 to October 10. ■ This rebeen made to the Minister of the Army (Mr. Forde) by two businessmen sent to Wewak by Mr. Forde to investigate the troops’ complaint that there was a grave shortage of food. Declaring that there was a maldistribution of holding depots within the issuing points in the Wevzak area, the report declared that maldistribution had particular significance in view of the general unpalatability of some rations. The fundamental reason for the reductions in rations was the non-arrival of anticipated shipping from Australia. Two ships that were being used for transport purposes had to be repaired and did not arrive on time. Some depots were issuing as low as 40 per cent, of the specific items, says the report. The troops ridiculed suggestions that the rations were so short they had insufficient energy to indulge in organised sport, but they wore equally emphatic that the rations were of a monotonous and unpalatable nature. The 6th Division’s food stocks were drawn upon to provide the minimum sustenance to Jap. prisoners of war and to large numbers of natives in dire need.

The report says the ration position between October 1 and 10. when the situation was at its worst, was in the investigators’ opinion grossly misrepresented by both the troops and the Press.

Mr. Forde, commenting on the report, said that to meet the heavy shipping demands for prisoner of war relief, 'refrigerated and personnel shipping space previously available from Australian and American sources in this area were almost completely withdrawn for from four to six weeks, but now that the return of prisoners of war to Australia was practically completed the situation over ration supplies to troops will- rapidly return to normal. Mr. Forde added that the aspect that while there were shortages of food at some depots there were surpluses at others was being further investigated. SOCIAL SECURITY. LEGAL POSITION CONFUSED. (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 22. The High Court’s judgment casting doubt on the validity of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act has raised concern about the validity of much other social services legislation and the effect on the policy legislation. (The High Court over-ruled a demurrer entered by the Commonwealth Government against the Victorian Government’s action in seeking a declaration that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act was invalid and void. The effect of this judgment is to allow the action to proceed, but it does not declare the Act invalid). • It is believed a report submitted to the Cabinet by the • Commonwealth Solicitor-General, Sir George Knowles, on the constitutional position facing the Government regarding social services payments was adverse. As a result, Cabinet decided to seek the opinion of a panel of eminent constitutional lawyers. Should this representative opinion also be adverse, the Federal Ministers say the alternatives would be for Parliament to pass legislation, authorising a referendum, or for the States to grant tljeir powers to the Federal Government.

Some Ministers deprecate the talk of a referendum at this stage, as they think that social services should be treated separately from, otherpowers which a section of their party might desire to have re-submitted to the electors. If social legislation acts are invalid a substantial portion. of the Government’s policy legislation will be useless unless the referendum gives the Commonwealth additional powers. The invalidity of the Government’s social security legislation will not only upset the operations of the National Welfare Act but also alter the whole structure of the 1945/46 Budget. If the Acts are found to be invalid, the collection of the social security levy concurrently with income tax might be disallowed. In that case the Government would have to pass a special Appropriation Act to put the money back into consolidated revenue. This would create a special problem, as the Budget was built around the fact that the end of the war costs, plus social security benefit costs, made it impossible to reduce income tax by more than 6| per cent, over the full year. -Reports from Melbourne say that if the new- Labour Government of Victoria decided not to proceed with the actidh against the Commonwealth Phariiiadeiitlcal Benefits Act started

by the previous Victorian Government, interested parties may challenge the legislation. The High Court’s decision empowers the Victorian Government to challenge the validity of the Act, but since the case began a Labour Government has taken office in Victoria. It is not open to every taxpayer to challenge legislation in the Courts, but any person or organisation whose ■rights are interfered with or upon whom additional. duties are imposed by it are entitled to state their objections in Court. ARMED HOLD-UP. (Rec. 2 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 23. Two city business men were last night robbed of £250 by masked men armed with revolvers. The businessmen vzere lured to a place in the suburbs where the robbery took place, by promise .of a. profitable .business deal. They took the cash with them in order to clinch the deal on the spot. They drove to the meeting place and as the car turned into a lane two men jumped on the running boards. These m,en’ had white handkerchiefs over their faces and revolvers in their hands. They demanded the. money, which was hand.ed over. UNLICENSED PISTOL (Rec. 1 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 23. In the Sydney Police Court, yesterday, a Royal Navy Petty Officer was fined £25 and sentenced to the maximum of two years in gaol for haying carried an unlicensed automatic pistol at night. The police alleged he had threatened to shoot an American soldier and a woman. He pleaded guilty.