AUSTRALIAN COAL

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1943, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN COAL

Reduction of Output SOLDIERS MAY RETURN TO MINES.

PROPOSALS OF COMMITTEE

(Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 8.15) SYDNEY. May 14. The demobilUsing from the A.I.F. of miners who have fought in the Middle East and New Guinea theatres and sending them back to the coalfields is believed to have been one of the recommendations in a report by the Australian Coal Commission of Enquiry to the Federal Government. It is considered that these men would be a valuable influence in preventing coalfields stoppages. The serious position of Australia’s coal reserves has again been brought under public notice by the chairman of the Commonwealth Coal Commission, Mr. Norman Mighell, Because of stoppages nearly a million tons of coal are reported to have been lost already this year. “My Commission has been compelled to divert coal from other industries to keep the munitions factories supplied,” said Mr Mighell, “with the result 'that stocks held by railways, electrical undertakings, and other’ services have been considerably curtailed. Ships had to leave for other countries without urgently-needed cargoes of coal. I cannot allow the owners, miners, or public to be lulled into a false complacency about the coal reserves. The fact is that production this year has not been sufficient to supply our own internal, requirements, -with' the result that reserve stocks in all States have been substantially reduced.” The recommendations by the Coal Commission for reducing the loss of production by stoppages are believed to include a system aimed at quickening the processes of arbitration. The miners are understood to be seeking an altered scheme of taxation. Some of the men refuse to work after they have earned a certain .amount, on the ground that further income would be absorbed by taxes. The establishment has been suggested of a common fund to be subscribed to by owners and miners, from which all disputed claims for money could be met pending consideration of the claims by a Reference Board. The board would then decide the merits of each claim and direct whether the money should be returned to the fund or not. The advocates of this plan suggest that all the costs incurred by the company in preparing its mine for proi duction should be drawn from such a fund, if the men refused to work. They point out that the cost of preparing a mine for production ranges between £5O and £4OO. An increasing number of miners’ organisations are expressing their resentment at the continued stoppages caused by irresponsibles.