KEEN COMMUNIST BID

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 34, 10 February 1930, Page 7

KEEN COMMUNIST BID

N.S.W. COAL STRIKE DOMINION MINERS’ OFFER [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] Received Feb. 9 8 p.m. SYDNEY, Fob. 9. It is reported that Communist emissaries are making final and desperate efforts to secure supremacy of the minefields and control of a big aggregate meeting which is being held on Tuesday. The moderates, however, are said to be concerting opposition to the Beds whose promise of financial aid to the miners if they, should fight has not been fulfilled.

Fines of between £5OO and £6OO have been imposed on the miners as a result of recent disturbances but not a penny of Red money thus far has been forthcoming The Miners’ Federation will not pay because it did not countenance mass demonstrations. The only hope of the convicted men, -numbering about 100, of escaping gaol is that the Communists will honour their promise to pay, but the feeling prevails that they will repudiate it. If the extremists fail to rush the aggregate meeting their influence is expected to wane rapidly. There is a growing body of moderate opinion among the miners in favour of settlement. A statement has been published that the miners intended officially to advise the Federal Government to-day of their bed-rock terms of compromise but the Federation secretary, Mr Davies, denies knowledge thereof. Mr A. Woods, delegate from the New Zealand Mine-workers’ Association, says that the Dominion miners will pay a levy of 3| per cent of their earnings towards the relief of the idle New South Wales miners.

BEER TURNS “WHITE”

MINERS LIFT THE BAN Received Feb. 9, 8 p.m. SYDNEY, Feb 9. The hot weather yesterday made the beer “white” in Bessnock hotels. All the miners who had been declaring the bars “black’’ for a month past, apparently became colour blind and bartenders had an exceedingly busy time when the bar was unofficially raised and the men who had been unwilling prohibitionists set to work to drink up arrears. In the meantime the Cessnock municipal authorities had just completed an installation in the main street. These strangely enough, stand opposite the hotels but they only supply water and now they are not wanted.