MINERS IN UGLY MOOD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 685, 10 June 1929, Page 9

MINERS IN UGLY MOOD

THOUSANDS OF PICKETS AT THE PITS POLICE READY FOR TROUBLE SYDNEY, Sunday. The approaches to nearly every colliery on the northern fields are to be picketed by thousands of miners tomorrow morning unless the members of the Colliery Staffs’ Association decide to discontinue handling coal. The miners are reported to be determined to prevent the winning of coal in any of the closed pits. Strong bodies of police have been stationed at the mines in case of emergency. The shortage of good quality coal is beginning to affect Sydney’s gas supply. This was evident yesterday when the gas source failed through the metropolitan area served by the Australian Gaslight Company. As a result of the stoppage of work in the northern mines that company’s usual supply of coal is cut off, and that which it is handling now does not produce sufficient gas to meet its requirements. The enginedrivers and firemen employed in the northern mines outside the associated collieries today decided to cease work on Wednesday. A meeting of their State council on Wednesday will consider a resolution calling upon the drivers and firemen in the southern and western collieries to cease work. An attempt will also be made to induce similar action in Victoria. Mr. H. H. Sterling, general manager of the New Zealand Railways, after a visit to Newcastle today stated that if he was looking for coal contracts Newcastle would be the last place he would go to. Mr. Sterling’s visit is purely in connection with railways, and has no association with coal matters.