MORE PROSECUTIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7018, 5 January 1910, Page 5

MORE PROSECUTIONS

UNDER “ WADE’S LAW." MR BOWLING AND OTHER LEADERS SUMMONED. A JUDGE’S UNUSUAL POSITION. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received January 4, 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 4. The Industrial Court lias granted an application for leave to prosecute Messrs Peter Bowling, 0. Butler and O’Connor (president and secretary of tlio Coal Lumpers’ Union), and D. Hutton (Northern delegate), under “M'ado’s new law” —the Industrial Disputes Amendment Act. They will ho charged with taking part in a strike meeting last week at Wollongong, a seaport on the South Coast, forty-nine miles from Sydney, and the outlet for the Oshornc-Wallsend, Mount Pleasant, Mount ICcmbla, and ■Corrinial collieries. The case is fixed for hearing at Sydney on Tuesday next. Judge Hoyden, before whom thirteen men were fined" recently for inciting a strike in the Maitland district, has expressed the hope that ho will not have to try Sir Bowling, with whom ho was associated for several montlis on a Royal Commission, and whom ho had learned to resx>ect for his mental powers and the open, strenuous way in which lie used his reason in discussion. THE SOUTH COAST MEETING. "THE BRUTAL LAWS OP A BRUTAL GOVERNMENT.” At Wollongong on Thursday last the members of vii© new congress attended a delegate meeting of the lilawarra Colliery Employees' Association. Asked for an opinion regarding the recent Newcastle fines, Mr BowUng said that from what the Judge said he must have considered the defendants the guiltiest cf the guilty, so far as tho offence for which they had been‘convicted was concerned, seeing that they had been awarded the maximum term of imprisonment as an alternative. As to leniency being shown, miners* did not expect this from on© jiaid to administer the brutal laws of a brutal Government. They did not exxiect coirs l!deration, under tho-circumstances. Regarding the ,£IOO fine, it might just os well have been ten - times that amount, as the authorities had just as much chance of ‘ getting it. If the defendants decided. to go t-o gaol, there were plenty more men to take their places. Mr T R Morgan, general secretary of the lilawarra Colliery Employees' Association, jixpiessed the opinion that the heavy hues would tend to, in a great measure; influence the miners to vote solidly at the forthcoming lederal and State election?.' ' .... Tll Mr P. Dunleavy, president of the illawarra Colliery Einxiloyecs' Association, ,was of opinion that the men had been harshly dealt with in the infliction ot such excessive' fines. It was now the duty of the miners to make preparations by the next election to remove the Government that , had ; brought about this state of affairs. _ , ill- J. Butler, president of the Coallumpers' ’ Union, remarked that • the severity of the sentences would not- have the effect of , breaking down trades unionism,, even if the authorities th Jl7 D. Vuttin, Northern delegate thought tho fines would have the effect of putting the . men s hacks up. the men sentenced were of irrcprcacimble character, and were a credit to working-class , movement. Apparently character did not count when men honestly stood lor their class against the real lawbreakers. PROPOSALS BREAK DOWN. SYDNEY. January 4. Tho proposal to rceopcii the Burwood Extended mine has fallen through. The Miners’ Federation was opposed to tho men resuming work. t _ Tho strikers’ co-operative mines, the Ehbw Main ’and Young Wallsend, which it was expected would resume working to-day, continue idle. COAL ARRIVES FROM INDIA. (Received January o, 1 a.m.) MELBOURNE, January 4. The steamer Irish Monarch has arrived here with a cargo of 6000 tons of Indian coal for the railways. FIFTEEN THOUSAND MEN CEASE WORK. LONDON, January 3. The operation of, the Eight Hours in Mines Act in the Northumberland collieries has evoked some dissatisfaction regarding the shift system. Ten thousand miners are idle there, and five thousand in the Durham pits.