A BLACK OUTLOOK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20743, 14 June 1929, Page 9

A BLACK OUTLOOK

THE COAL MINING INDUSTRY. WITHDRAWAL OF SAFETY MEN. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph— Copyright.) Sydney, June 13. The engine drivers and firemen’s decision means the withdrawal of the safety men from all the collieries throughout New South Wales. It was agreed not to put the decision to strike into effect for the time being, so as not to prejudice the negotiations for a settlement. , Mr Browne, counsel for the unions, has submitted proposals for a conference to the Government, the employers, and the unions.

The environs of most of the northern mines were deserted yesterday. The Hcbburn collieries continue to he picketed.

CONFERENCE OF UNIONS,

OFFER FOR SETTLEMENT.

. SYDNEY, June 13. The Combined Unions’ Conference resumed its deliberations to-day. Mr Browne, K.C., stated that a genuine offer for a settlement had been submitted by the miners. He was hopeful that this would furnish an avenue of settlement by Monday.

BASIS OF THE OFFER. SYDNEY, June 13. (Received June 13, at 9 p.m.) It is understood that the basis of the miners* proposal for an immediate return to work is that they are prepared to work at reduced wages, providing the owners guarantee to refund the reductions If tkif figures as to the costs of carrying on the industry are proved to be wrong. The miners’ conference was resumed to-day, but it is unlikely to reach any decision regarding the proposal to withdraw the safety men from the pits until Monday, when the engine drivers’ secretary (Mr Atkins) will arrive from Melbourne.

STATEMENT ISSUED TO PRESS, SYDNEY, .ne 13.

(Received June, 14, at. 0.30 a.m.) At the conclusion of the miners’ conference, the. .following statement was issued to the press: “ The combined unions have arrived at a policy, and adjourned with complete understanding and unanimity.”

The date of the resumption of the con ference has not been fixed.

OWNERS REJECT PROPOSALS. SYDNEY, June 13. (Received June 14, at 1.45 a.m.) Inquiries to-night elicited the fact that the coal crisis is gloomier. The owners have rejected the fresh proposals, while it is reliably stated that the enginedrivers’ executive has sent an ultimatum to the miners’ representatives demanding the withdrawal of mass pickets at the northern collieries and the visciplining of their leaders there, failing which the safety men would be withdrawn at the end of the week.

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION. SESSION CONTINUED. RUGBY, June 12. The executive committee of the Miners’ International Federation continued its session in London to-day, and a 1 proposal was approved that at the International Labour Conference to be held in 1930 the question of unemployment in the coal industry should be considered.

It was decided to hold the next meeting of the executive either at Madrid or Geneva at the end of September.

HOURS AND CONDITIONS,

UNIFICATION FAVOURED,

LONDON, June 13, (Received Jmie 13, at 8 p'm.)

_ The executive of the Miners’ International passed a resolution in faVour of an international conference for the unification of hours and conditions of labour in various countries, and endorsing the necessity for an international agreement regarding the production and marketing of coal, with an international committee, including representatives of the coal owners, the miners, and the various Governments. —Australian Press Association. N.S. WALES STALEMATE. EXTRAORDINARY POSITION. ■ STRIKES CONTINUE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June G. The extraordinary idleness of the northern district mines of New South Wales continues, and there seems to be no prospect of a resumption of work, despite the far-reaching effects of the present situation and the extreme misery among many of the miners. These northern mines were closed by the proprietors, and for once the term lockout, used' by the employees, appears to bo quite justified. But it seems strange that the owners, while they decided to close the northern mines, kept open the mines in the southern and western districts. Here the miners seem to hold , the upper hand, for they strike whenever they like—and that is often—and return .to work when they like. And so it is that, at a time when northern miners are suffering through lack of employment. 700 miners in the southern district are on strike.

Scarborough miners clowned tools because the manager refused the request of the millers’ lodge to reinstate a miner who had walked oil the job. Trouble at Dapto was due to the miners’ refusal to work an extra night shift made advisable by the increased demand for coal from this particular mine. The 123 per cent, levy for northern miners will he much depleted by the action of these men. as miners at Scarborough earn the highest wages on the south coast. Anyway, it is reported that money is now flowing more freely from New Zealand, so it is not likely that the allowance to the locked-out miners will be reduced for a while at least.

Meanwhile, mining unions and owners are busy preparing their cases for the State and Federal Coal Commission, Mr Justice Davidson is holding a preliminary session this week to arrange details for the public sittings of the commission. A proposal was made that the commission should endeavour to get the mines started before it commenced to hear evidence, but although it had the support of the miners it was rather resented by the owners, who seem determined not to open the mines except on their own terms, which involve reduced wages. And the miners are equally determined that their wages shall not be reduced.

It is natural that feeling among the unions engaged in the mining industry should become a little strained, especially as the engineers—the safety men —are being kept at work in order that the mines should not become flooded. The northern miners want the safety men withdrawn in an effort to force the 1 hands of the owners, but the safety men 1 consider that this move would be most I ineffective. And probably they are right,

for the owners would not need much encouragement to close down the mines for an indefinite period. The engineers, however, are prepared to consider a general strike, which would involve the southern and western mines. The miners object to this because they are collecting such substantial levies from the men who are still at work. Militants among the northern miners are also causing trouble for the mining union officials by advocating violence against engine drivers who are keeping machinery at idle mines in order. “ Men shooting and filling coal must jc physically prevented by organised mass picketing by lockod-out miners,” demands a manifesto issued this week by the militants. Such is the position that Australia, possessing some of the richest coalfields in the world, has had to send overseas for coal, and firms outside Australia will collect, within the next few months, £50,000 for coal cargoes amounting to 24,000 tons, now on the way to, or being loaded for, Australian ports. The cost of the consignments is about £21,000, and the freight money amounts to about £28,000. It is estimated .that within the next four months 40,000 tons of British coal will be landed in Australia. This quantity would be sufficient to keep an interstate collier regularly employed between Newcastle and Melbourne 'for more than six months.

At Newcastle, Melbourne, and Sydney there are 30 interstate colliers idle because of the New South Wales coal stoppage. From these vessels 000 seamen have been paid off to join the ranks of the unemployed. “It is an impossible position,” said a big coal distributor in Melbourne the other day. “ The dispute has already cost the Commonwealth much more than £1,000,000, and now consignments arc being brought 10,000 miles, while countless tons of the best coal are tied up at Maitland, only a few hundred miles away.”

DEMAND FOR SOUTHLAND COAL. A MARKED INCREASE, (Special to Daily Tihes.) ' INVERCARGILL, June 13. The somewhat alarming advices from Wellington concerning the coal shortage need cause local residents no anxiety. Invercargill merchants informed a Southland Times reporter that practically no Newcastle coal was used down here. The only effect in Southland of the Australian strike was a marked increase in the I demand fd? Southland coal in Dunedin, Oatnaru, Timaru, and Christchurch, where housewives accustomed to using Newcastle coal had to find a substitute. When the matter was referred to a railway official he stated that there was no shortage locally. “If there were strikes all over the world w. still have enough coal, and coal of good enough quality, in Southland, to run the trains in this part of the Dominion,” he remarked. There was no cause for alarm ns far as the gasworks were concerned,” was the statement made by the manager (Mr W. B. O’Toole) when questioned by a reporter. There were three weeks’ supplies on hand, and another order was on the way.