UNION OFFICIALS MAKE LAST-MINUTE ATTEMPT TO AVERT COAL STRIKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27115, 24 June 1949, Page 5

UNION OFFICIALS MAKE LAST-MINUTE ATTEMPT TO AVERT COAL STRIKE

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Bec. 10.10 p.m. SYDNEY, June 23. Though no definite proposals have yet been made, union officials are meeting in a last-minute attempt to avert Monday’s threatened general coal strike. The combined mining unions’ council is meeting in secret with the leaders of other Federal unions. Later the miners will confer with the emergency Committee of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Any statement to-day is regarded as unlikely.

Reports from the northern coalfields, however, continue to suggest that if the committee does not move for the postponement of the strike the rank and file may move to requisi-

tion meetings to review the str: are stiU idle due to flooding.

ke decision. Eighteen mines

■ Strong efforts are being made to bring the matter again before arbitration. In a nation-wide broadcast the chairman of the Joint Coal Board, -Mr K. A. Cameron, said that the way was still open for miners “to take the path of conciliation and arbitration. The Wallarah miners’ lodge has sent a telegram to the "Central Council of the Miners’ Federation urging that the strike be called off and negotiations reopened. Employers estimate that .workers in the metal trades industry alone have lost over £500,000 in wages this week. Sugar refining is still being carried out, but is likely to cease soon. Cut in Beer Quotas Publicans forecast a 75 per cent, cut in existing beer quotas as deliveries of beer after to-day-are uncertain. After this week there will be no further issue of.bottled beer until the coal restrictions are lifted. . Workers to-day again besieged Commonwealth Employment Service Offices to fill in relief forms. Most of them rejected Communist pamphlets which were offered by distributors outside the offices. Even if the proposed strike is cancelled, most steel workers in Newv castle will be unable to return to work for several weeks. Two large blast furnaces at the Broken Hill Proprietary plant have been emptied and allowed to go cold for cleaning und overhaul. All the open-hearth furnaces have been completely shut down for the first time in 30 years. As the manufacture of steel ceased because of shortages, the company decided to keep as many men employed as possible by carrying out extensive maintenance work, A spokesman for the Joint Coal Board said that the Cessnock area, which is the main source of gas coal in Australia, would be cut off for a fortnight. Fire in Colliery Meanwhile only about 3500 tons a day was available to Sydney. Miners are fighting a fire to save 1,500,000 tons of the best gas coal in New South Wales. The fire began in the main section of the Bellbird Colliery, near Cessnock, .when a fall of 2000 tons of:coal began, to heat up. The miners, working day and' night, have shifted 800 tons of hot coal and have sealed off seven parts of the mine. If the fire gets beyond control they will put up the eighth and final seal and the burning, section will be permanently abandoned. The New South Wales Government has appointed a committee of threp Ministers to control essential services. The Premier, Mr J. McGirr, announced that the Legislative Assembly would remain open next week to meet any possible developments in the coal crisis. Train. Services . The Railways Department has about two : weeks’ supply of coal, which could be stretched over /a further 10 days of restricted operations. The emergency transport co-ordinator said that ;a general coal strike would force heavier euts in the services? Suburban train services are being reduced by a further 64 trips in the peak hours today, and . off-peak services will be hourly. , On the Australian coast 35 interstate ships are to; tie up. at the end of their present voyages because of a lack of coal. The entire Australian coal-burning fleet' comprises 60 vessels.