OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1930, Page 9

OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW

APPEAL TO ALL PARTIES MR. SCULLIN’S DECISION COAL DISPUTE INCIDENTS By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 11 p.m. Sydney, Jan. 24. The Prime Alinister (Air. J. H. Scullin) has decided to appeal to all parties in the coal dispute to set an example of obedience to the law by obeying Judge Beeby’s latest order to re-open the coal mines at the pre-stoppage rates of pay. The Prime Minister has announced the Government's refusal to carry out the decision of the Labour conference. He said that the suggestion that the Government should disarm the New South Wales police on the coalfields would not receive a moment’s consideration, and added that if in defiance of the constitution the forces of, the Commonwealth were arrayed against the State police a clash would be unavoidable and civil war would be precipitated. In a resolution of censure upon the Federal Labour Ministry, a conference of Labour representatives expressed the opinion that the Government was lacking in firmness, initiative and ability to deal with the coal dispute The resolution demanded that the Federal Government should prosecute the coal owners with the utmost rigour of the law and that a prohibitive duty should be struck on coal imports. COMMUNIST SENT TO GAOL. PENALTIES FOR SABOTAGE. Rec. 12.5 a.m. ' Sydney, Jan. 24. Joseph Shelley, described as a German Communist, was to-day sentenced to five months’ imprisonment on a charge of Inciting coalfields miners to murder police. Evidence given at the Maitland Court was that the accused addressed a large gathering of miners, urging them to shoot down the police and the Rothbury free labourers. Eleven men, charged with attempting to pull up the Rothbury colliery railway line during the riots on December 15, were each fined £lO, in default two months’ imprisonment.