First Mine Taken Over By Commonwealth Govt.

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1944, Page 3

First Mine Taken Over By Commonwealth Govt.

SYDNEY, This Day.

Watched by a small group of Government and unign officials, the Australian flag was hoisted to the poppethead of the Coalcliff colliery yesterday morning. It marked the taking over bv the Commonwealth Government of the Coalcliff colliery, storm centre of the southern New South Wales miners’ strike, which ended yesterday. Only two mines in the State wei/e not working yesterday. Coalcliff is the first mine to be taken over by the Government under the recent Coal Act. “This is an historic occasion in the story of the coal industry of Australia,” said the Commonwealth Coal Commissioner (Mr. Norman Mighell), addressing the men. The flag hoisting ceremony took place near the spot where Bass and Flinders first discovered coal in Australia.

The miners’ strike lasted three weeks, during which more than 200,000 tons of coal are estimated to have been lost. Because of their defiance of an earlier order to return to work, 490 young miners were called up for the Australian army. Many of these men had been trying to secure their" release from the mines in order to enlist and the great majority accepted their call-up cheerfully.