6000 TONS ON FIRST DAY— Troops Work Round Clock To Get Coal

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 August 1949, Page 5

6000 TONS ON FIRST DAY— Troops Work Round Clock To Get Coal

SYDNEY, This Day (Rec 1 p.m.).—Troops working round the clock produced about 6000 tons of open-cut coal in the first 24 hours. This will reach Sydney tomorrow. The State Cabinet’s emergency committee will consider restoring week-end suburban electric trains, lifting the power restrictions on the building industry and raising the ban on electric hot-water systems and irons in homes. At Muswellbrook, troops produced 3000 tons of coal in 24 hours. This is all first quality steaming coal and is suitable for gas-making.

A total of 1777 officers and men are engaged in mine working. All the troops engaged are from the Australian Regular Army.. Reports from the coalfields indicate that the miners show no marked hostility to the troops. Army officers say that many commandeered trucks are in a shocking condition and s^} e trucks and machinery may be sabotaged. At Lithgow, most open-cuts are water-logged and troops are working in four feet of water. Northern miners’ delegates, repre-

senting 12,000 men, will meet today to discuss whether aggregate meetings should be called. The Communist controllers of the Miners’ Federation have also called area meetings to take place tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. Moderates believe that this is a sign of panic among the militants.