OVERCOMING COAL SHORTAGE IN AUSTRALIA

Grey River Argus, 19 July 1949, Page 5

OVERCOMING COAL SHORTAGE IN AUSTRALIA

TURN OF TIDE AT THE WEEK-END SYDNEY, July 18. The coal strike is weakening. Latest developments leave only two States, New South Wales and Victoria, badly affected by the stoppage. The coal miners in Western Australia are resuming work. Queensland and South Australian coal production has been stepped up. The first definite sign of weakening in the attitude of the Miners’ Federation came in the form a a request by the miners’ leaders for the Australian Council of Trade Unions to convene a conference to consider a settlement. More coal is on the move from the New South Wales coalfields, where feeling among the miners is turning against the Communists. WIDE IMPROVEMENT IN SITUATION The return of miners on the Collie field in Western Australia means that 10,000 people will get their jobs back early this week. Transport in Western Australia will recommence as soon as the coal being dug to-day is available, and electric power will be • turned on again in Perth this afternoon. In Queensland the consequences of the strike have been lessened by the steadily increasing total of coal being produced from 19 mines in the Rothbury area. The position in South Australia has eased considerably, due to heavy production from the Leigh Creek opencast mines. The removal of 6000 tons of coal at grass in South Maitland has already begun and earth-moving equipment is being assembled at the opencut mines, which are being cleared for production. OPEN-CUT MINES Army convoys are pouring into the New South Wales coalfields as the Governments continue, with their plans of working open-cut mines with military labour, but even this has not roused the miners to active opposition. Many open-cut mines, which have not previously produced, have been stripped to the coal face by heavy machinery, and coal is ready to be lifted. MILITANTS SEEK CONCILIATION The leaders of the miners have asked that the A.C.T.U. call a conference with the object of seeking a settlement. Previous conferences called by the Council proved abortive, because of the uncompromising attitude of the miners. The President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Mr P. J. Clarey, said the miners had suggested that representatives of the Federal Government, the mine owners, the Coal Mining Unions’ Council, the Joint Coal Board and the Australian Council of Trade Unions should attend the conference. The Sydney Telegraph’s political, correspondent in Canberra says that neither the New South Wales Government or Federal Government is prepared to take part in such a conference and the only solution is for the miners to return to arbitration. Miners’ Leader Says “No Weakening” (Rec. 11.40) SYDNEY, July 18. The- Acting Gene.al President of the Miners’ Federation, Mr R. Hamilton, said: “There are no signs that the mineworkers, generally, arc weakening. They are standing firm.” Mr Hamilton added that there was no alteration in the miners’ stand that the strike could br- settled only on a basis of satisfactory settlement of the miners’ claims and the release of the union leaders who have been gaoled for contempt of court. MINERS “FED UP" AUCKLAND, July 18. The New South Wales miners are so fed up with the strike that work will probably begin again by the end of this week, according to Mr H. K. Ford, liaison officer for Tasman Empire Airways in Sydney, who arrived by air this morning. He said the miners were running low in money and food, and were starting to realise that they had been led into a Communist-dominated strike by false promises of beneficial results. “There are definite signs in Sydney that the strike is breaking”, he added. ’Th e firm action taken by the Government gives the impression that it is fighting a war without bullets against Russia, and the Communists are coming out of it badly". Two senior representatives of the Waterside Workers’ Union in Sydney were appearing before the Arbitration Court to-day on charges of withholding money, he added. If they were gaoled, there was every chance that the watersiders would strike in sympathy. 23 Communists Before the Court (Rec 10.15) SYDNEY, July 18. In the Federal Arbitration Court here, to-day, Mr W. R. Dovey, K.C. for the Registrar of the Court, said that a new order would be 'sought to restrain the Communists from withdrawing money from the banks to assist the coal strike. Later, the -counsel for the Conr monwealth said that he would ash for an order that the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and the other respondents shall pay £4200 into the Court. The Communist Party and 23 of fts officials are before the Court, following an order to pay to the Court Registrar, £lOOO that was withdrawn from the bank, allegedly to assist the coal strike. Evidence was given by a numbei of the Communist officials.