N.S.W. COAL STRIKE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16122, 10 May 1923, Page 3

N.S.W. COAL STRIKE.

PROPOSAL, TO INTRODUCE VO'LUN-

TARY LABOR

lElec Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.l (Received May 10, 12.38 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 10.

Tho Northern coal owners will meet cm Monday to discuss the question of introducing voluntary labor in the idle mines. It is estimated that since the Mintland pits closed tho employees have lost nearly a quarter of a million in wages. Another South Coast pit, the Metropolitan, employing 600 men, has been rendered idle. The Southern owners have issued an ultimatum that unless the idle mines resume immediately the conference with the Miners' Federation fixed for to-mor-row will be abandoned.

The N.S.W 7 . coal industry (says the Forum) has been given a foretaste of what it may expect when the miners' organisations attain their goal and control the working of the mines. Having a grievance against Major Crane, one of the local magistrates, tho miners refused to work on the days and in the districts that ho sat in Court, in order te force the Government to remove him. The community was to be bullied into obeying the miners' behests by having its coal supply diminished. Whatever may be the rights or the wrongs of the case with regard to Major Crane, this method of -enforcing the miners' demands was especially resented at a time when they are complaining so insistntly of intermittency of employment. These semi-political stop pages, following on a long series of stoppages for trivial reasons or for none at all, have forced the owners of the mines affected to close them down until they can get some guarantee of continuous working. The miners profess great, indignation, but it is hard to sec what other course tho owners could have taken.