AUSTRALIA'S CRISIS

Grey River Argus, 12 August 1946, Page 5

AUSTRALIA'S CRISIS

LACK OF TRANSPORT Holding up Supplies Shadows of Unemployment (Rec. 6.30.) SYDNEY, August 11. Deepening shadows of unemployment; also threatened million pound stock losses, and the growing danger of the road to anarchy, are the highlights of Australia’s transport and supply crisis. The large Balmain shipyards will close down this week, with the loss of work to five hundred men. The Public Works employees are being rationed on their jobs, and five hundred transport workers and also one thousand men in the timber industry are facing unemployment. The emergency Road Transport Committee will be asked on Thursday to recommend the immediate setting up of a panel of experts to control the road, rail, and sea transport on a planned basis. The Federal Supply Minister, Mr. Ashley, has announced special plans that are designed to shift building materials amounting to thirty-seven thousand tons which have accumulated at Newcastle. Watersiders are to be brought from Brisbane, and Naval ships will shift timber from Northern New South Waxes ports to the cities, where timber is urgently needed. .

It is estimated that five million superficial feet of building timber—which the railways cannot shift because of the lack of coal —is banked up at the North Coast ports of New South Wales, and at the mills and the railway sidings. The general president of the Miners-’ Federation (Mr H. Wells) has instructed all miners to avoid unnecessary stoppages, and to strive for the maximum coal production. “We regard the new Coal Bill as the most advanced legislation yet introduced by any Government”, he said. Women Workers BIG STRIKE PREDICTED. (Rec. 8.20.) SYDNEY, Aug. 11. . The latest threat to industry is a mass walk-out, which is almost certain to occur, when the National Security Regulations become inoperative at the end of this year. When the special war loading of wages cease, nearly one hundred thousand women in industry will lose from nine to ten shillings weekly.