EFFORTS TO GET COAL IN TRUCKS TO SYDNEY

Chronicle (Levin), 14 July 1949, Page 5

EFFORTS TO GET COAL IN TRUCKS TO SYDNEY

SYDNEY, July 13. A meeting of the land transport group of unions which includes the Loeomotive and Enginemen's Union and the Australian Railways Union, this afternoon agreed to hau! coal already mined and to "handle it in Sydney if necessary. The unions eoncerned cover ali transport by road as well as rail. The Seamen's Union, however, notified colliery owners that no crews would be provided for coiliers used to bring coal from Newcastle to Sydney. A comptdsory conferenee between the union and owners has been called by the Arbitration Court for Friday. A report from the Lithgow correspondeftt of the Sydney Sun says that pickets throtfgliout the western New South Wales mining district are watehing a convoy of 26 army vehicles now bivouacked at an army eamp- f our miles from Lithgow. Thougli the miners suggest the corivoy may be, heading for the open cut mines or may be instructed to shift 10,000 tons- of coal at Ben Bullfen, Army spokesmen say the military manoeuvres in the area have nothing to do with.- the coal situatibn. In Canberl-a, Mr Chifley is understood to have told a Parliamentary 'sub-conimittee that he believed the unions would co-operate but that, if not, coal would be obtained even if the army were brought in. Tlie sub-eommittee is believed to have" decided to take steps to operate the open cut mines in New South Wales..