LABOUR UNREST

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 9 January 1930, Page 5

LABOUR UNREST

AUSTRALIAN CRISIS MINE RIOT ECHOES. POLICE SERVE 70 SUMMONSES. (United Pres? Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) SYDNEY, Jan. 8. The general council of the Returned Soldiers’ League dissociates itself from the action of the returned soldier miners who passed a motion pledging themselves to fight under the direction of the Miners’ Federation. Police in the northern coalfields district. to-dav served 70 summonses on men who allegedly took part in the riotous scenes at Rothlbury on December 1(3. The men are charged with having used weapons such .as bottles and sticks likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm, and alternatively with being members of an unlawful assembly. The cases will come before the Maitland court on January 20. A surprise move made by the Miners ’ Federation to-day' at Melbourne may affect the hearing of the appeal relating to Judge Beeby’s order for the reopening of the coal mines now before the Full Bench of the High Court. An application was filed by the federation asking for a compulsory conference with 'the mine-owners on the subject. The miners amended the log wage claims and improved conditions, affi,davits in support declaring that there is grave unrest and threats of cessation of work at all mines in Australia if the claims are not granted. The New South Wales Cabinet today further discussed the situation and decided to mark time until the High Court appeal was determined. The Premier, Mr T. R. Bavin, commented on the statement that the miners _ were forming defence corps. He said it was both unlawful amd unnecessary, and added that the police were quite capable of protecting the citizens.. The waterside workers’ officials, however, emphatically deny the statement that trouble is looming over non-union labour.