MINE WORKING SMOOTHLY

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1929, Page 11

MINE WORKING SMOOTHLY

QUIET AT ROTHBURY AN ISSUE TO BE SETTLED r POLITICIANS AT VARIANCE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 9.50 p.m. Sydney, December 18. At Rothbury, after a day of rumours, incidents full of an ominous portent occurred near the mine last night. The police guarding the colliery;reported that seven shots were fired-into the grounds <>f'the pit from lorries containing miners returning from the funeral of Brown, who was killed in Monday’s rioting. Reports of a rifle or revolver were also heard earlier in the afternoon as lorries were passing on the way to the funeral. . There are persistent rumours in Braxton and Greta that if the present effort in Sydney- at a settlement fails there will be further intensive picketing. The temper of the men has been inflamed by the tragic happenings of Monday. Work is proceeding smoothly at the Rothbury colliery. The question whether the -railway drivers will haul' coal from the mine to Sydney, a-distance of 130 miles, remains Jo be settled., The railwaymen have not yet made known their attitude, -The fact remains that they have already transported free labour from Sydney to .the mine, and their union so- far has made no public protest.

The' owners last night definitely rejected Judge Beeby’s proposals on the ground that they were unacceptable to individual owners. It is not expected thru the suggested terms will be accepted by the State Government. Judge Beeby announced to-day that owing to the coal mine owners having rejected the Federal Government’s proposals, which were submitted to the compulsory conference yesterday, he had referred the dispute to the Federal Arbitration Court for hearing, which begins to-morrow. His voice vibrant with emotion, the Bishop of Newcastle, Doctor Long, who officiated at Brown’s funeral, expressed the hope in God’s name that there might be no recrudescence of the anger which caused the deaths and suffering on Monday. In the course of his address Bishop Long said: “This brother who has so innocently fallen in the strife was no aggressor; he was not engaged at the time- of his death in any breach of the law.” 1 . ,

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY. - MR. SCULLIN’S OUTBURST. Sydney, December 18. ‘ ...eferring to the shooting at the Rothbury mine, the Federal Prime-Minister, Mr. J. H.®Scullin, said that this unfortunate clash had been precipitated by the action of the New South Wales Government in attempting to open the mine at reduced wages. This hdd been followed by another grave, error-in the refusalof the Bavin Government to attend the • arbitration conference. The Premier, Mr. T. K. Bavin, replying to the Prime Minister's criticism to the effect that the New South Wales Government was acting in a provocative manner, said: “I am responsible for my actions, not to the Prime Minister, but to the people of New South Wales, I do not think it is desirable to engage in.a Press controversy with Mr. I Scullin, since we, both .have very heavy responsibilities at the - presenttime.”

The chief daily newspapers in Sydney endorse Mr. Bavin’s attitude, and declare that the Government’s,; coal plans rinist go ahead irrespective of,.threats of violence and lawlessness.

INFLAMMATORY ADDRESSES. HYDE PARK DEMONSTRATION. Sydney, December 18. At the massed unionists’ demonstration last night in Hyde Park inflammatory speeches were made by Communist leaders. There was a crowd of 20,000 onlookers, but only a small section cheered them. The-majority were present out cf sheer - curiosity, expecting rioting. ' ’ ■ . The. speakers blamed the Federal Labour Government for yesterday-’s shooting, and expressed the hope that workers’ would form their own' defence force, since they could no longer rely on- the Federal Government using ,the . defence forces under it's control for the protection of workers. ; Five hundred-uniformed- and plain clothes police guarded Parliament House. The. situation was tense. Large cro.wds lined the- footpaths in the hope of wit riessing a clash.; A smalt number of hotheads from the Hyde Park meeting, which -was nearby, eventually tried to force their/way into the Legislative Assent’ly, but were quickly repulsed by the police, who'usc..- ...ca- batons. Theymad j some an-r-ts, The .njured were treu.ed. at the Sydney hospital, which adjoins Parliament House. The police then marched, to Hyde Park and dispersed the -idlers; Complete order was restored at 10 30 p.m. i

EFFORTS. TO. SECURE ARMS. Rec. 11.3 Op.ni'. Sydney, December 18. The police have obtained evidence that the miners at Kurri and other portions of the Maitland coalfields are attempting to obtain arms and ammunition. The miners were forestalled when, they sought to gain possession of military rifles at the- local drill hall. The bolts had already been officially removed from the rifles. A large quantity of ainnninieation lias been sent to the police camp at the Rothbury colliery. It was reported in Sydney to-night that the Commonwealth Government intends to commandeer .a privately-owned colliery in the Maitland field as a set-off to the State Government’s action in acquiring the Rothbury colliery. The mineowners declare the Commonwealth’s action will be tested in the law courts.