Stark Realities Change Tune

Chronicle (Levin), 4 August 1949, Page 5

Stark Realities Change Tune

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter.

Copyriciht)

Eeceived Wednesday 7 p.m. SYDNEY, August 3. ' ' Oan anybody deny that the positiob is serious and that* the member&tiip has the right td say and do what it tliinks ] fit?" asked the president of the Northern Mihers' Federation, Mr W. Crook; at a iheeting today of represen tatives of 60 minidg lodges; the inilitant eentiral executive and Jbhe. mcUSf ate northern execiitive. ' ' That woulH, be dictatorship by a minority. The sitilation is so serious that I cannot understand why it is wrong to hold aggregate meetings for a review of the strike policy." He added that he would apologise to hoootty xor statements maae at ivjluswellbrook where he said that the miiiers must have "the fchance to recoiisicler the position. They ne'ed not get uysterical but ' ' we must realise wiiere we have got ourselve's and db the sbnsible thing." The nioderates weiit into tlie. confefence,- which was held beliind eiosed doors, delermined to press for aggregate meetings to.call oiS the strike. Observers iuside the coufereuce later predicted that a motion cailing for aggregate meetings would be carried by a 2 to 1 majority. Tlie conferenee ib expeeted to last well into the night and may Carry over till tomorrow. The following motion is being discussfed: " We recomiiiend that the gaoled leaders sliould immediately mahe applicatioh to purge tlieir eontempi, thus making th.eir seryices availabld to the organisation. This conferenee demands a special meeting of the eentra. council to be convened on August 5 toi the purpose of arranging aggrbgate meetings not later thah August 8 to eonsider a recommendation that tlie proposals of the Australian Council of Trade Unions be accepted as the basio for general resumption of work, and that following a geheral resumption and the implementation of the projjosals; a special council meeting shall be held to review the decisions made by tlie Coal Tribunal or a conferenee of parties to the dispute. " A f rank preamble to the motiidn stated that the time had arrived for a serious review of the- position on the grounds, firstly, that the strike was organised on the basis that, due to the extreme shortage of coal and eriticai plight of the Australian economy, the struggle, in the words of the geheral president of the Miners ' Federation, ' ' would be short, sharp and decisive. ; ' Secondly, that the Governments, througli the Coal Board and Coal Tribunal, would immediately take steps to avert a national erisis. Thirdly, that the whole wofking class movement, industrial and political, as in all previoiis coal strikes, would be wholeheartedly behind the mine workers in tlieir struggle.The preamble added that the miners were now reluctantly compeiied by the impact of stark realities, to face dp to the fact that the strike was in the sixth week with no indication of a successi'ul conelusion; The conferenee adjbnrned until 9 o'cloek tomorrow. No statement was issued. Eepresentatives of 53 unions whose exeeutives pledged support to the Fedeeral and State Governments, met at Sydney today- to hear a rfeport on the strike developments and thfen pledged continued support to the Governments. The decision is regarded as a sighificant reflection of Trades Hall reaction to the unprecedented action of the Labour Governments in usiiig troops to win coal. The Minister of Fuel, Senator Ashley, told a meeting in Cessnock today that

the Federal Government was eonsidering the possibility of allowing miners who want to return to their jobs, tp work in tlie open euts with the soldiers. The Government was also examining the possibility of operating Sbme of tlie mechaniSfed Undergrbtiiid hiihSs.