COAL DEADLOCK IN N.S.W.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1929, Page 9

COAL DEADLOCK IN N.S.W.

SINISTER DEVELOPMENT WORKING PITS TO BE CLOSED MINERS THERE TO STRIKE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association. Received June 9, 5.5 p.m. Sydney, June 9. 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. The company’s usual supply of coal from the northern mines is cut off and that which they are now handling would not produce sufficient gas to meet requirements. A message from Newcastle states that the approaches to nearly every colliery on the northern fields will be picketed by thousands of miners to-morrow morning unless the members of the Colliery 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 the case of an emergency arising. Mr. H. H. Sterling, general manager of the New Zealand Railways Department, after a visit to Newcastle said: “If I were looking for coal contracts Newcastle would be the last place to which I would come.” Mr. Sterling’s visit is one purely of railway instruction, and has no association with coal matters;

An earlier message from Sydney stated that the passive! resistance by tire coal owners is irritating the miners’ representatives, who fear the men will be starved into submission. The fact that some mines in south and western New South Wales have been working while the northern mines have been idle has enabled industries to keep going, and in a large measure defeated the object of the strikers. A sinister announcement, however, was made to-day by Mr. J. T. Atkins, general secretary of the Federated Engine Drivers’ and Firemen’s Association, who intends to reeom mend his State council to withdraw all members of his organisation from the pits now working, thereby cutting off coal supplies from all parts of the State. He said he looked for no amelioration of the position from the Coal Commission, and from the first ho was convinced that an “all in” strike was essential to the success of the miners’ cause.

A later message says the enginedrivers aud firemen. employed in the northern ffiines outside the Associated Collieries to-day decided to. cease work on Wednesday, and a meeting of their State Council on Wednesday will pass a resolution calling upon the drivers and firemen of the gouthern and western collieries to cease work. An attempt will also be made to induce similar action in Victoria.