COAL LUMPERS' STRIKE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13886, 25 April 1907, Page 7

COAL LUMPERS' STRIKE.

CHARGE AGAINST TWO CHINAMEN,

THE CASE DISMISSED.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, April 24. • The Mount Keira, colliery is idle as a result of the coal ( lumpers' strike.

(Received April 24, at 10.37 p. 111.)

The two Chinese belonging to the crew of tho Tsinan, who had been engaged working winches on board a collier, were charged to-day with landing in Australia in contravention of the Contract Immigration Act. Counsel for the defence contended that a contract immigrant meant an immigrant under contract to perform manual labour in Australia, Accused were neither immigrants' nor contract immigrants. The action had been taken by some strikers to serve a private end. Counsel for tho prosecution claimed that the act applied to men working oil avessel which was a foreign vessel so far as Australian waters were concerned. He submitted that the accused had landed in Australia because they were working on an Australian boat. The magistrate considered thai f.lie eliavgc had not beeii made out' and dismissed the ease. The prosecution intimated that the case would probably go further.

A largo number of strikers watched the proceedings.

SYDNEY, April 24. (Received .April 25, 1.34 a.m.)

The situation in connection with the strike is practically unchanged, as far as Sydney is concerned, picketing being systematically carried out. There are' large numbers of police in the vicinity of the employers' bureau and the chips coaling with free labour. Everything is orderly. The strikers express themselves as very confident that there will be important developments.

Al Newcastle delegates from the Sydney Union addressed a meeting of local trimmers. The result was that they decided not- to trim any vessels at Newcastle which usually-coal at Sydney.

Another effect of the strike lias been the stoppage of work in several of the southern collieries.