GREAT COAL STRIKE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14055, 12 November 1909, Page 5

GREAT COAL STRIKE.

STAND BY THE GOVERNMENT: ONUS ON PROPRIETORS. WHARF LABOURERS READY. Tress Aseodat-ion-By Telegraph-Copyright __' SYDNEY, Nov. 11. Mr MeGowan congratulated Mr Wade no his decision to await the issue of the. conference before making ■a-.move,- but said lie feared the reference to penalties might bo taken as a threat. Mr Patorson, president of the Mining Federation, on the whole approved of the Government's decision as it will throw the responsibility for subsequent events upon the proprietors. He declared that the men would remain quiet unless blacklegs were, introduced. .

The Registrar of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court is watching the strike carefully and if it extends beyond New South Wales, ho will bring it before the Court in the public interest. The Wharf Labourers Union considered the request of the Federated Council of Waterside Workers to strike if called upon. Though the Press were excluded, it is understood that. the. meeting decided to striko if the call came.

ho other Waterside Unions arc marking time pending developments.

Up to £4 per ton was paid yesterday for bunker coal at Sydney.

The miners at Curlew's pit, Gunncdah, have struck. The position in the southern districts is not improved by one of the Clifton colliery prosecution cases going against the men. . This decision caused considerable excitement, and angry scenes. It was subsequently announced that the •company'had agreed to the dismissal of all the remaining charges with Is expenses to each man. The Mount Kcira miners have, decided to continue work till Friday, but the wheelers declare that they will not start to-day.

A delegate from the Newcastle lodges is visiting the Western district. Though no move has been made yet it is believed that the western miners ace prepared to join the strike. In reference to the schemo of the Miners Federation t« work a mine with the object of providing strike funds, it is now stated that the plan proposes taking over two collieries.

INCREASE IN FREIGHTS. MELBOURNE, Nov. 11. The Steamship Owners Federation has decided as a result of the dislocation, of trade caused by the strike to iucreaso the inter-State freights from 2s 6(1 to 5s Gd per ton and passenger rates by ten per cent. TJip price of coal has been increased by £l per ton as from to-day. STOREMEN IN SYMPATHY. STAND BY OWNERS. Received 11. p.m., Nov. 11th. SYDNEY, Nov. 11.

/The United Storemen's Union lias decided to strike-on Tuesday in support of the miners.

Tho southern coal owners declined to participate in a conference they could not recognise, and declined to meet in conference tho representatives of bodies of employers with whom they had no business connection or bodies of employees employed in another district with whom they had never stood in the relation of .employer and employee. Further, the. Association had always been ready to meet its own employees in conference, but had consistently declined to deal with the matter in dispute so long as the men were outside the pale of the law by being on siafke.