AUSTRALIAN MINERS ON STRIKE

Chronicle (Levin), 27 June 1949, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN MINERS ON STRIKE

Thousands Of Workers Unemployed; \ Drastic Power Cuts Bring Chaos Received Monday., 11.10 a.m. SYDNEY, June 27. Last negotiat.ions having failed to avert a general coal stoppage, 23,000 miners throlighout Australia downed tools today. The first result of this is that the New South Wales Government authorities will considor a total ban on power for factories, offices and homes, and still further restrictions of. tram, train and bus services. It is expected that a Bill, giving the authorities full emergency powers, will be rushed through the State Parliament tomorrow.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Chifley, is conferring today with the At-torney-General. Dr. Evatt, and the Minister of Shipping and Fuel, Senator Ashley, to prepare jsubmissions for Cabinet tomorrow. The authorities in Newcastle estimated that coal stock amounted to about 200,000 tons, which is suiFicient for the basic services for four to five weeks. 5 Already 51,000 people have applied for unemployment relief, but ihese represent onlv one-sixth of the total unemployed. Shipping representatives say that thev expect all coal-burning ships on the coastal runs to tie uo bv the end of the week. Of about 100 coasters, only 35 burn oil and of the remainder 22 are already tied up at Newcastle and Svdney. The main food cargoe^ affected are sugar and potatoes. (

Representatives of overseas shipowners say that nearly half the ships trading to Australia are coal burners and that they will tie up in the port in which their bunkers run out. Sydney is already congested, with all berths full and ships in the stream. At present in New South Wales 285.000 workers are unemployed. Two cooking periods are allowed daily and transport services have been cut drastically. In a few davs a further 200,000 peonle will be jobless. Bread and meat supplies will be cut, trams and suburban trains will cease entirely and gas and electricity will follow within ten days. When the strike ends ft will be many weeks before industry gets back to normal, as Australia's whole industrial machine has almost stopped.