LABOUR UNREST IN AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18608, 2 July 1930, Page 9

LABOUR UNREST IN AUSTRALIA.

Depression in the Mines. SEVERAL CLOSE DOWN. (United Press Association—By Eleotrls Telegraph—Copy r 1 gh t.) (Received July 1. 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 1. Broken Hill advices state that, with the rejection by the miners of the 17} per cent, wage cut, the three chief mines have closed, and 3000 men are idle. Additional chaos has been created by the refusal of the employees in the largest shops to accept the fortyeight hour week. All are on strike. BROKEN HILL MINES. FALL IN METAL PRICES. Unless London prices of lead and spelter improve quickly, or there is a considerable reduction in working costs, the Broken Hill Proprietary, the Block 14, and the British mines at the Barrier will be closed shortly, says an Australian newspaper. About 1300 men are employed in the three mines. The Junction North mine has been closed for some time. Ore reserves in these mines are of less than the average value for Broken Hill, and a substantial reduction in working costs would be necessary to allow work to continue at a profit. The North, South, Zinc Corporation, and Sulphide Corporation mines will remain open, because they can still yield a profit, but their managements, too, would welcome a decrease in costs to compensate in some measure for the fall in metal prices.