INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 23

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

(By Cable.) THE COAL COMMISSIONER. LONDON, May 8. Of 11 political economists examined by the Coal Commission eight of the witnesses, including three university professors, favoured nationalisation of the coal mines. The Earl of Durham, giving evidence before the Coal Commission, said he owned 12,411 acres which were leased to colliery companies, Six thousand acres were bought within the last century and 4000 between 1720 and 1820, and the remainder was ancient land owned by the Lambton family. T}ie royalties, rents, and privileges yielded £58,911 in 1913, and £40,000 in 1918. THE COLOUR BAR. CAPETOWN, May 8. The Trade Union Congress for the Cape province, now sitting at Capetown, carried a resolution by 61 votes to 1 that the colour bar in trade unions is wrong in principle and unjust in practice, and that no differentiation would be tolerated on account of nationality, colour, creed, or sex. FREMANTLE TROUBLE SETTLED. FREMANTLE, May 6. Further rioting has occurred on the wharves. When several volunteers were leaving the waterfront a crowd of strikers and women attacked and severely dealt with them. Later in the day a large force of returned soldiers marched through the streets and requested the shopkeepers not to serve the police with provisions. Towards evening a policeman was attacked by returned . soldiers and badly injured. Other police came to his assistance, and, after firing several shots, drove the rioters off. A number of the police were injured. Reports were received later that the soldiers are organising an attack on the police station. A meeting of railway workers decided to support the wharf lumpers in every way. As the result of the conference between the men's representatives and the Government, it is hoped that the wharf trouble will be settled immediately. The withdrawal of the police had a calming effect. The meeting of two sections of returned soldiers ended in free fights, one section siding with the lumpers and the other with law and order. May 8. A coal lumper injured in* Sunday's, fracas has succumbed. May 9. • The wharf trouble has been settled The Nationalists voluntarily retired from work on the wharves. REIGN OF TERROR. PERTH, May 12. A correspondent, writing to the newspapers in West Australia, describes the reign of terror which has existed in Fremantle for some months. He says: " A revolution with violence is openly advocated, and intimidation is rampant, money being demanded from shopkeepers and anonymous letters beng sent to public men threatening them, with personal violence." The correspondent concludes by calling on responsible citizens, to put an end to the present reign of terror.

STRIKE AT BROKEN HILL. SYDNEY, May 7. As the result of a dispute between the Federated Engine-drivers' Association and the Certificated Engine-drivers' Association at Broken Hill all the mines except two are closed, throwing 5400 men idle. The Trades and Labour Council at Broken Hill has instructed affiliated unionists to cease work until the engineers' dispute is settled satisfactorily. May 8. All the mines and treatment works at Broken Hill are now closed down. SHIPPING TROUBLE AT BRISBANE. BRISBANE, May 11. The influenza visitation has brought the shipping trouble, which has been brewin" - for some time, to a head. At the time of the New Zealand visitation the crews manning vessels trading to infected ports were granted special rates. Owing to the shipping companies refusing to concede these rates the Queensland branch of the Federated Seamen's Union declared a strike on the whole of the Queensland coast. Appeals have been made for support to the southern States, and it is feared here and in other States that the trouble will extend throughout Australia, as the unrest amongst the stamen is general. The strike has rendered idle a number of intercolonial steamers, which, however, will be allowed to return to the home port. TvIELBOURNE, May 12. The Shipping Controller (Mr Poynton) has refused to grant the demands of the Queensland seamen. A COAL DISPUTE. BRISBANE, May 12. The coal dispute has spread to Queensland, the miners demanding an increase of 35 per cent, in their wages to bring them into line with the New South Wales miners. FAITH IN SOVIET REPUBLIC. MELBOURNE, May 12. The annual conference of the Victorian Railwaymen's Union carried a resolution affirming faith in the Russian Soviet Republic, which would achieve the aims of true Democracy, and opposing any movement menacing its continuance.