INTERVENTION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 678, 1 December 1909, Page 7

INTERVENTION.

STRIKERS' COAL. STATE TO'.'COMMAND OUTPUT OF ALL. mines at;work. V ' v> AND TO SELL AT FAIR VALUES TO THE PUBLIC. (Bj Telceriißli.- -Prcsa Atioclatlon.-Copirlehl.l , (Roc. November3o,, 9 p,m.). : .. ;'..'• \ ' '■-.-■' Sydney, November 30/When the State Assembly met, tbo' ActingPremier, Mr. C. A. Lee, made a statement of the Government's intentions with'regard to tho strike. - - p ■'.■;'• ■ ■.:-; .■■■■■ Crippling the State's Interests. He stated that in view of a possible general paralysis of business, there was a 1 serious possibility "of the large interests of the State being so crippled that it would take many years to restore.them to a normal condition. All thc'Govornnient's efforts to bring tho parties together, haying.failed.and realising that the community had been tried to" the point of exhaustion of its patienco, tho Government, had determined to intervene directly.' Action would be ■taken to command tho whole output of tho, coal-mines now at work with which to supply tho community.' The Government would assert its right to take as much coal as it wanted, and. care;would be taken to protect' the public in tho matter of values. . . . Law and Its Penalties May be Applied. - Mr. Leo,,added, that, while'-tho,Government wero interfere, unless those acting for the f miners and the owners, : did not in- tho immediate , future' ;mcet and. offer ' a solution of the trouble, tho Industrial Disputes' Act would, bo enforced, involving the'.'penal clauses and tho appointment of a Conciliation Board. While reiving on the good sense of tho miners and the owners, it must,bo ; clearly 'understood that.'if offorts were made to protract tht'situation, the Government were determined to expentl every means allowed them to bring.about a settlement. This statement;,said Mr. Lee, had the concurrence of Mr. Wado (tho Premier) and ; tho whole Cabinet...: : .;')'.;'.' , After.soma.desultory' debate, Mr.' M f Gowen,. Leader .of the: Labour party, moved:—,, ' -. ■ That the methods proposed by tho '~- ' : .Government to deal with, industrial ' ; •',• troubles are absolutely insufficient to ' .■ '",•'•.. meet public.requirements. .'.. ' ,-', At.Mr, Lee's owing to ; the acut'eness of the' situation, Mr.. M'Gowen agreed to .pro., ceed, with the motion without any adjournment. '.!.■.:';■.'.•'•■.■..■■■■,- : ; . v:,. : ,:: ; - :'\--v";"-.'y".-: ; Railways Alono Wijl Swallow Output. '•Mr..M'Gowen admitted that Government:jay tervention; in the' strike .was a- 'correct; attir tude, and' was endorsed, by his party., -What ho .wanted wasfan-.explanation of .the Govern-, ment's -expressed., determination',; to exhaust ovory. powerthey were constitutionally-anthorr. /ised to use to-bring about a'settlement. The refusal of this, explanation, forced him to move aceh'suremotion.; .'.-■ .",-'-- v .-' V .;■/'■■■ .-X. ■'■■■■;'■' '-.-; The Government,: Mr.. M'Gowen' continued, doolnred that they would take- the whole! othput of coal; but the railways, alono-took 2000 tons, daily,' so what use would bo the output of. the f two mines . now, ..being '■•. worked ; (by the strikers on a.co-operativo : basis) P ■'■';>■ : ;Ho complained:that' pressure'- was, "to;■; be brought: to bear not ..'upon .'the 'mine-owners, who- had declined the oliyo branch,' but upc-n tlio.-'miners, who were willing to. go 5 into .conference; ■ ■'"'■'■''■;':. '-'-.' ■■ ■; ■'' ■'':-. ."' 'f.'.;'-,; ff ..- 7 The;, debate is'; proceeding. ./' -'■ - . ■'.-'"■.'.-',. TrjE CO-OPERATIVE COLLIERIES. 'i; ' ' .COMMISSIONERS'; ATTITUDE.O:'' ':;' ■'■"■'''..'.'■'■'V 1 '' 1 "-•'■:-': Sydney, November ,' With'regard to the, refusal of 'the Railway ■ Commissioners. } to -haul: the 'coal; of lierynow.'ol;..work.'(including.the,; two-mines ' which are, being worked by strike labour -under the; co-operative f plan),',it is; understood, that the. Commissioners demand haif the ; butputfqf;each.colliery, before! they, will- under-, take haulage; '_■[■ •■;'-.- .\;v' 1 '; : •■ -.''.'' -V- '■'■[■'; ■:. .NO,'CONFERENCE WITHOUT WORK,v : ■'_'; ,;,(Rec.,November-'3O, 11.35-p,'m'.)-V 'XX, ;■;;. -W--V; ■_■; ■ •.;"••'; ;';:■;. ■-•.' Sydney; November.: 30-..C : . , ; Tho Northern Colliery 'Proprietors' Association have notified that,, they cannot consent-'to-a conference, as'suggested; by, tire' 1 Mayor ~ of Newcastle, unless, the' miners; first return to 'work. ■•.'.'.-:.:. '-,-:';;'-' ■' ■■.< _■ "X:' : '.{ -INDUSTRIAL ACTPENALTIEsii ; .In.the event of the penal .clauses'of the N«w. South. Wales Industrial Actrbeing enforced,- the strikers would appear.. to : havo ™ on themselves heavy liabilities.'- Sectiuri 42; deals withL tho- position'..of workers' who engage in a strike. It says:---.. ; ' .. ■: ■' '.' lf any ..person (a). does, any fact' ' or thing in the nature of a look-out or strike, or takes' part in a lock-out' or strike,- or.'suspsnds or discontinues employment or work in any- indus- : : try; or (b) instigates to or afds- in any of the .above-mentioned; acts, he shall be liable to a P- en f? /- ?° l speeding -one. thousand ■ pounds,- or' in. default.. to .imprisonment not exceedine - two months. ,V. -. . ...-.-,-.., P , r ?3!? cd ; tnat nothing ;in this section'■ shall prolubit the suspension, or 'discontinuance of any industry, or the working of any persons therein, for any cause not constituting a look-" out or:strike.: - , --. -.''-,- :<;:..;_..

Tho. liability: of the funds of the unions is set.out in.Section 45, as follows:— ':-, . :. .-.',.':-,

: (I) , . Where, ahjr'-pereon'-oonviited'.of'-an'offence' ■■/■•..against the provisions of Section42 .was,' ■.■■.■>■;.■, at .-the; time of his cpmmittjug such' of- : ." fence,; a nioinber'of a trdclo or industrial ,- ■..;.■ union,..the Industrial . Court-iniay- order , the. trustees of the trade- union, or of a ■ • ;■ ;:l)ranch thereof, or. may order the iudus- ;;.... trial union to pay-out of ;tho funds of the ■ union or branch any" amount' not.exceed-' : /m i?g -£20 pfthe penalty imposed.-:. : .; ■ (2):The:6aid Court shall, before making suoh -, ■•:■.•■■■ .order, hear the said trustees br the said ■ ;' : : uhionor thcir.or its ooiineel or attomev' ;.:■-,.-. and. shall, not make such order ■If rit"- Iβ . :. proved that the union has by means that *.-.. /.are reaEonable-and under, the eircnin- ■ . stances lxma»flde "endeaTOured to•'prevent ~.. members from doing any. act or'thine ; .'■■.-. lft the .nature of a lock-out or strike, or ■':-.'■ ivom taking-part in a lock-out or strike ■".'■■ or. from instigating.or aiding,a Ipck-ouf ■'.■■ lor strike.■-.■••.•; :'■,-':•,■'"■'.:■-■<■: "■ -- : ■■ y (8) Any property :of the union ,; or branch,' whether in the, hands of trustees or' not '■■■■■•.' shall be availablo to answer any; order made as aforesaid. . .•■■•:■,• .':; •-■ ■ -. .