CRUSHING LEVIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3870, 15 May 1928, Page 18

CRUSHING LEVIES.

AUSTRALIAN MINERS. FEDERATION IN PERIL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 5. The existence of the Australian Miners’ Federation is said to be imperilled following a revolt against high levies, and threats of succession by the Queensland branch have thrown the council of the federation into a panic. The history of the federation has been largely one of strikes, and as strikes are expensive things, of levies. Queensland miners say that they have thrown away £40,C00, and demand a reconstruction of the' federation, and equitable readjustment of the finances. They also claim that the cost of the New South Wales branch, which has been involved in most of the strikes, is impoverishing the federation. Seven lodges in the southern districts of the federation have definitely refused to pay further levies, while throughout the northern district discontent is said to be rife. The whole of the trouble is due to the high cost of membership. When the Federation council met in Sydney a few days ago the Queensland delegates appeared with a mandate to withdraw from the federation unless all levies, with the exception of 1)1 per cent, on capitation fees, were withdrawn. Queensland definitely refuses any longer to contribute towards futile strikes in New South Wales. That, in a nutshell, is the position. Queensland’s revolt is easily explained by the fact that the miners of that State have contributed £64.000 to the funds of the federation, and have drawn out only £19.000. Thus the federation has shown a profit on Queensland of £45.000. Miners in the Illawarra district in New South Wales are in much the same position as the Queenslanders. They have contributed strike funds for the Newcastle district until they are tired of doing so, and now, they state, they are in revolt. The Scarborough Lodge and several of the smaller lodges, the members of which work peacefully al] the year round, are joining in the opposition movement.