GENERAL STRIKE FEARED

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1929, Page 9

GENERAL STRIKE FEARED

COAL SITUATION MENACING

PEACE IN N.S.W. IMPROBABLE

LABOUR COUNCIL ACTIVITY

MINERS REJECTING TERMS

By Telegraph —Press Assn. —Copyright, Rec. 9 p.m. Sydney, Dec. 6. The coal situation is still menacing. The latest development is that the disputes committee of the Labour Council left today for the northern fields with the object, it is believed, of testing the feeling for a general strike. The members expressed the view that acceptance of the peace terms would amount to a betrayal of the miners.

Following the rejection of the agreement by the 4000 miners at Kurri a general mining strike throughout the Commonwealth was declared for by the Labour Council at a meeting called to consider the debacle.

The meeting of Kurri miners resolved that lodges be instructed immediately to appoint two representatives each to confer with a view to formiflating a policy to continue the struggle. This adverse decision means the end of the present settlement proposals, as it is considered' impossible that any other centres will accept the terms in face of the Kurri rejection. The State Cabinet will meet shortly to consider its decision to re-open certain mines and the question of continuing the dole to men who refuse to return to work. A meeting of 5000 Cessnock miners to-night rejected the peace terms by an overwhelming majority. They jeered and grossly insulted their delegates to I the recent conference at which the | terms were arranged. i Commenting on the Labour Council s advocacy of a general coal strike, Mr. H. Sutherland, organiser of the Mining "Engine Drivers’ Assoeition, said to advocate an all-Australian strike at the present moment, when 50 per cent, of the workers in the mining industry have had ten bitter months “on the grass,” is the logic of fools and the gospel of men more concerned with advertising themselves than with the inteiests of the working class.