Coal Production In NSW Back To Normal

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1949, Page 5

Coal Production In NSW Back To Normal

SYDNEY, Tue. (12.20 p.m.).—Coal production in New South Wales yesterday was 53,00 Q tons, with all but five mines working a full day. The coal loss was only 3056 tons, none of which was due to industrial disputes. About 40,000 people unemployed because of the coal strike returned to work in New South Wales yesterday, making about 150,000 in the past week.

It is believed that by next Saturday 136,000. more people will have resumed work, leaving about 125,000 still unemployed. Re-employment will become more rapid after Thursday, when many power restrictions will be lifted, but many people cannot resume until raw materials, steel and building products come forward. Experts believe that as many as 50,000 people may not be able to find work before Christmas, mainly because many industrial undertakings will continue to feel tjre effects of the strike for several months. A spokesman for Australian Iron and Steel, Ltd., said that steel production at Port Kembla steelworks should be back at the pre-strike level by Monday, and that a full labour force would be re-employed pit Sunday. At Newcastle, restoration of the steel plants to production began yesterday, with a call up of about 4000 out of 15,000 men displaced by the strike. OUTPUT AT STEELWORKS Although the Broken Hill Proprietary steelworks in Newcastle will receive about 6000 tons of coal daily, the plant is not expected to reach full production . for several weeks. Restoration of heat to coke ovens began yesterday afternoon, and some blast furnaces will be heated up today Full production depends on when these furnaces, which must be restored slowly, reach their full heat. All employees at the state dockyard, Newcastle, will resume before the end of the week. For a week or more Australia will be dependent for steel and pig-iron supplies on the Port Kembla works, where the coke ovens were kept heated and the blast furnace was only partially cooled. The blast furnace should start producing pig-iron before the end of the week. 140,000 RECEIVED BENEFITS Resumption of steel production will mean re-employment of 60,000 metal trades employees by the end of next week. The remaining 50,03 people in metal trades will be re-absorbed when full supplies of fuel and power are available The total numbei of unemployment benefit applications since power and gas restrictions began to close industries down on June 21 is 140,129, but officers estimate that fewer than 80,000 people are still receiving payments.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr R. G. Menzies) told the annual meeting of the Federal Council of the Liberal Party that the strike had been settled by the action of the Labour Government in abandoning the Labour Party policy and adopting that of the Liberal Party. “This strike has proved that our industrial platform was, from the beginning, wise and practical,” he added. “We have stood for restoration of democratic control of their own affairs by unionists by means of thg secret ballot, not only for the election of officers but on all major decisions. “Time after time we have seen the Government retreat from arbitration. “Destructive critics say we have no policy. “The truth is that the policy our party put forward four years ago has now been used by the Government. “On May 18, five weeks before the strike began, I gave notice of a bill to establish the secret ballot. The Government used its majority to prevent the bill being moved. “On the first day the House met after the strike began, the Opposition put forward a proposal to work open cuts seven days a week and three shifts a day. “We would have used the Australian Workers’ Union, but, as Liberals, we believe that the use of troops in such operations is not the first, but only the last resort. Five officials of the Miners’ Federation sought to purge their contempt of the Arbitration Court and secure release from gaol. In affidavits they expressed regret and apologised for disobeying the Court’s order to pay to the registrar money withdrawn from the banks.