WANT TO RESUME WORK

Chronicle (Levin), 11 August 1949, Page 5

WANT TO RESUME WORK

' ('N.Z.P.A.-

-. Reuter ,

Striking Miners Reject Red Suggestions

Copyright)

Received Wednesday, 7.30 p.m. SYDNEY, August 10. By a majority of 4 to 1, Northern New South Wales miners representing the "bnlk of mining opinion in Australia, rejected a recommendation hy the Central Coimcil of the Miners' Pederation that the strike be continued during an attempted resumption of negotiations. At many meetings the men demanded that work he resumed on Monday. When the recommendation was read at MuswelTbrook where the miners have heen watching troops work their open cut mines for a week, there were cries of "Pnt a match to it." At Adamstown, tlie chainnan apologised for the absenee of the general jiresident of the Miners' Federation, Mr. Tdris Williams, Avho is serving a gaol sentence for eontempt of the Arbitration Court, saying: "He is the gupst of liis Majesty's Government." Baek eame cries: "He is better off than we are." At Belmont. the acting general nresident of the Miners' Federation, Mr. R. Hamilton, declared: "We are not beaten. The longer the struggle lasta the greater the loss to the country — and that is wliat we want. But we will not allow the strugcle to last long enougli to ruin the Miners' Federation. " With only minor returns to come, the comliined votes were 2119 in favour of the recommendation and 4175 against it. The total membership on the northern fields is about 10,Q00 but as on the southern and western fields, thousands did not vote. The miners at Muswellbrook quieklv disposed of the rouncil 's recommendation by voting 100 to 0 against it and theu. amid eheers, unanimously denianded a return to work on Monday. Mr. X. Dunleavy, a mepiber of tlie ('entral rouncil, told the miners he had repeatedlv striven for a settlement but i.ad found himself in the minoritv. \mid wibl cheering. he added: "We • avo nothing to offer the men except. io tell them to tighten their belts. I evpect something better than that." The heaviest votes against the re•oinmendation were at Kurri Kurri, to 283; Speer's Point. 456 to 55; c?id Adamstown, 489 to 113. Commenting on the results of the • ectings, the Minister of Supplv and ; h'velopment, Senator Armstrong, said: "This is a knockout blow for the Com-' • unist leaders who have misled the iners. Tt was only a matter of the ;nk and iile being given the opporuiitv to vote in a democratie way to d the strike." The Minister of the Army, Mr. C. • 'iambers, claimed: "The vote is a • nr victory for the Government 's "•'•iicv of arbitration. " With votes against the rouncil 'a •■'••iinmendation still pouring in, the ' ting president of the Miners' Federtinn. Mr. R. Hamilton, announced that c Fdmbined Mining Hnions' Council "11 be called together ou Friday to • ■asider ordering the men back to wiirk early next week. The northern miners' meetings con■Ihue to show liostilitv to the militants. Hrvansea, as soon as the meeting •y ened, there were cries of: "Put the ' ition now. We don't want any, ^ lamos to tell us about it." Mr. Ham;un was unable to make himself ■ • nrd and sat down under a barrage ■ ■ +" abuse. ■ ] \t Ringleton and Werris Creek not' "'ie miner voted for the council recom- • ndation. Maitland threw the motion '•■'t bv 152 to 37. fasmanian miners voted against the ' "tnicil recommendation to continue Gie strike by 200 to 2.