Moderates Confident Miners Will Work

Northern Advocate, 6 August 1949, Page 5

Moderates Confident Miners Will Work

SYDNEY, Sat. (noon). —Although Communist officials in the Miners’ Federation are trying to prolong the coal strike, modem:# lodge officials are confident that aggregate meetings of miners will be held next week and that they will favour a return to work. The final decision whether the meetings will be held will be made at a meeting of the central council beginning in Sydney tomorrow.

This meeting may not reach a decision until Monday. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, rank and file miners say they are confused by the battle of tactics going on between the Communist and non-Communist officials of the Miners’ Federation.

Eight underground mines have been selected to be worked by troops, according to an announcement by the Minister of Fuel (Mr Ashley). About 1830 soldiers will work the mines in two shifts a day, for a daily output of about 7800 tons. Mr Ashley said the Joint Coal Board had reported" that 16 mechanised mines were available, but that the selection had been confined to completely mechanised collieries, which offered the most favoured conditions for inexperienced operators. Worked on a two-shift basis, they would require less supervising and technical staff. There would be no difficulty in securing technical staff. The Minister said lh<* mines would produce power house, gas, steam and domestic coal. Victoria is to import 250,000 tons of Indian coal and a .quantity of Yorkshire coal for vas making. South Australia is receiving 10.000 tons of Yorkshire coal for the transport of zinc to Port Pirie. The Commonwealth Government has been told that other overseas sources of coal arc few. Formosan coal is unsuitable and South Africa is not able to guarantee delivery.

They add that the majority of the men are undoubtedly sick of the strike and want to get back to work. Meanwhile, troops working open-cut mines delivered 15.939 tons of coal in their first three days’ work. The Minister for the Army (Mr Chambers) thanked the Army chiefs and troops for the manner in which they met the emergency, and for the progress in winning coal. A from Hobart says the Tasmanian Government has decided to remove coal at grass as St Mary’s field, using Public Works Department gangs. The Government also plans to* work an open-cut mines near Avoca, on the north-east coast. The miners rescinded their earlier decision to resums work and the Government conference with their executive failed. Other unions are supporting the Government’s action to obtain coal.