AUSTRALIAN MINERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25560, 13 June 1944, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN MINERS

PROPOSAL FOR SATURDAY WORK EFFORT TO INCREASE OUTPUT SYDNEY, June 12. Proposals for the miners to work six-hour shifts on Saturdays *for a trial period of three months were made at a conference between Government representatives and miners’ leaders. Announcing this, the Acting Prime Minister, Mr F. M. Forde, said that the suggestion would be discussed at miners’ meetings to be addressed by the Attorney-general, Dr H. V. Evatt. and himself during the next fortnight. Until six years ago many Australian miners worked a shift on each second Saturday. A six-hour shift each Saturday should mean the production of an additional 38.000 tons of coal a week. ” The Commonwealth Coal Commissioner, Mr N. Mighell, said last week that at least 30.000 tons of extra coal each week were needed to keep industry and transport at their present level. . .

Mr Frank Collindridge, British Labour M.P. and vice-president of the British Miners’ Federation, who is visiting Australia with the Empire parliamentary delegation, has appealed to Australian miners to end the irresponsible stoppages. “To deprive the men in the firing line of the means to fight is the worst form of treachery in war-time,” he told the miners. “ Therefore, I ask you to quit these unofficial stoppages and to produce as much coal as possible for the common cause. The Miners’ Federation in Britain has never countenanced unofficial stoppages in this war. and it never will. “In the reverses in Crete, Greece, Dunkirk, Norway, Singapore, and North Africa it was not courage our men lacked, but the means with which to fight. I appeal to you to see that never again will our men suffer from a lack of materials.”