STRIKE SPREADS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 685, 9 December 1909, Page 7

STRIKE SPREADS.

COAL LUMPERS OUT. OWNERS PREPARE FOR FREE LABOUR. GOVERNMENT CRITICISED. (By Telegraph-Pretß AModatlon-OopyrlltiU (Rcc, December 9, 3.8 a.m.) Sydney, December 8. The Cool- Lunipors' Union—which recently, against the advice of the Strike Congress itself, decided not to work the Jitp&ncso coal brought by the P. and 0. steamer Palermo— havo now decided to strike. MINISTRY ATTACKED IN ASSEMBLY. DISORDERLY SCENES. CHIEF SECRETARY'S VIGOROUS REPLY. (Roc. December 9, 0.5 a.m.) Sydney, December 8. The Legislative Assembly has been sitting continuously on 'tho Estimates. The time is lorgoly taken. up with an attack on tho Government over the strike. Thero have been several disorderly scenes. One Labour member accused the Government of a deliberate, attempt to create nn insurrection by sending a largo' forco of police to Newcastle on tho occasion of the arrest of Mr. Bowling and other strike loaders. The Chief Secretary, Mr. Wood, replied that tho whole notion of the Government had been one of tolerance, forbearance, and continual effort to influonco both parties to bring about a settlement. The Government's purpose was to give tho fullest and freest opportunity to i get the coal wanted for the public. The Government were not going to allow an I industrial paralysis to overtake tho State. 1 They would, if necessary, get coal from abroad, i though they preferred to give every chance to , get it locally. Mr. Wood added that if the Government | protected; the mines, they would' not allow the I owners to sell tho coal to tho public at fnmitio prices. I CO-OPERATIVE COLLIERIES. TO BE CLOSED. Sydney, December B.' Mr. Hughes, president of the Vatersido Workers' Union, states that tho miners' mines (Uio ec-operativo collieries, Ebbw Main and Young Wallsend) are to be closed owing to the low prices offered for coal by tho Railway Commissioners. MINERS' MINES AND THE RAILWAYS'

.ft. ft,; PRICE. ::..*[■:;.■: ';■.■ WILLNOT BE : WORKED EXCEFf;AT ' :;;:."FAIR PROFIT.";, The Newcastle correspondent of the "Sydney Morning Herald", wrote oh Deccmbor 3: "Following on the. statement yesterday that the Commissioners for Railways wore makingin. quiries ( with a view to purchasing alt the coal available, information; has now reached Newcastle that the commissioners propose to take the whole of the output of the-Ebbw Main and Young /Wallsend mines. Up. to to-day tho railways have been taking half the,dally output of the mines, but apparently the commissioners find that the supplies are not equal to the demands of the railways, and that it will be necessary for them to take the .'whole of the coal from these .and other mines that may be worked., '■■■'. '. ......; ."The Newcastle manager for Messrs'. Kethel, Mr. Jas. Cant, was seen this morning in reference to the report. He stated.that lio had just • received ■' information from Sydney that the/.-whole'of tho coal from the two mines would be taken by the Mr. Cant intimated that the colliery would probably, not be averse to the .commissioners action provided a reasonable prico, was offered. He cortainly'could not understand the commissioners paying J2 and £2. 65., a ton for, coal, and then endeavouring to, obtain sup-' plies from their, mines at. an unrenumomtivo price. .'lt simply means this,' said Mr. Cant, 'if we cannot agree upon a price that, will leave us a fair margin, of profit the minis will certainly not bo worked, and then supplies will' bo stopped altogether.'" :'■'-. ":''-..,-.' ;,i ■" .ft OWNERS AND FREE LABOUR. : -ftft A NEW-.NATIONALISATION SCHEME;- ' -(...:■' .-.','.•.'.'.' Sydney, December 8. , .It is reported that pore than bnd'Nortliern cplliory is making preparations to start free labour. This will be contingent upon certain negotiations now proceeding; >ft .: .'.:

:■- [In the ; New South Walts Assembly on Tuesday the Acting-Premier,; Mr. C. A. Lee, stated that if the Government's invitation to the mineowners and the miners to open their mines and resume work was not acted on, and'if the mine; owners could find men to. mine coal for public requirements, the Government was prepared,to give them all the protection it : could, i -'■ -■,

Tho State Parliamentary Labour party has under consideration a scheme for nationalising certain Northern mines, which it proposes to submit to Uio Strike Congress. VICTORIAN RAILWAYS ARE TO USE ENGLISH COAL. Melbourne, December 8. • Tho Railway Commissioners, with tho consent of the Government, are negotiating for tho importation of English coal in the event of tho Newcastle strike continuing., DAYLIGHT-SAVERS SEE AN OPENING. GOVERNMENT UNCONVINCED. Sydney, December 8, In tho Legislative 'A&sembly, v Dr. Arthur asked whether, in view of the fact that, owing to tho strike, artificial lights were in danger, the Government would bo prepared to pass a Daylight Saving Bill this session. The Acting-Premier, Mr. C. A. Lee, replied that if the Bill would give t went}-four hours' daylight tho' Government would initiate it at once, but ho did not see how it could meet the difficulty created by tho strike: THE COMPULSORY BODY. Tl * n , , .Sydney, December 8. I Judge Heydon's appointment of Mr. Forsyth I (of tho Dudley Colliery) to represent the own- ■ era on the Compulsory Wages Board has been endorsed by the Northern Colliery Proprietors' Association. , MR. WADE ON THE COMPULSORY BOARD. I A SPECIAL TRIBUNAL. ■ Referring to the Compulsory Wages Board sol up by Judge Heydon, the Premier, Mr. Wndo, •This board comes into being under a special provision in the Industrial /Jisputcs Act, which was inserted to meet the special class of circumstanccs where a deadlock had been reached and neither side was willing to apply for £ board under tho Act, while tho community" were unable to br ng to bear any pressure through public opinion owing to want oYtaS™ ledge o the facts of the case. Under such circumstances, power is reserved to the Government, on the recommendation of tho Judge to appoint a tribunal for the purpose of iKVosti gating the actril situation and leaving t no o7tdtt mEnopinionastotho^ Voluntary Arrangement Still Possible. "Tho Government will not insist upon this procoduro being adopted in preference to any otter method. They are quito willing to see a settlement bronght about by; a ' voluntas arrangement between . the; parties loicS through the medium of any form of conferonce : m tribunal that they may; agreo" PO n t\ interested reach a' deadFock and the State -is, called; upon ; to- intervene hen the tribuiia to investigate mu The■ ones thl Raised. ancL authorised by, the law J.'.™ 0 St"?- I. see objections are takentn this board-in some quarters. Other pS 0 are E"SSpr. '"i-.ridiculeu it,- but: the P ?&n broadly speaking, is this-thnt ,ono s^de'has a method of discussion which ™i' h nLT£ ft'"" wherebv thev ShL *u Xo *- mll J n l fr , The board SJdi«'".« a '. ls i r6t,mro i il )I_this1_ this direction, ineluding an early,, opportunity oMnvestasation

and full inquiry, at which both sides can put tnoir. case withoiit„dclny before the public. . If there are real gnevauccs and n sincere desiio to, have them ventilated and redressed, I oannot conceive any better method. I do not supposo it Is lilcoly that either side, each of Which professes to bo anxious for public investigation of its claims, will bo so foolish . as to rofuso tho opportunity that will thus b« provided of putting its coso boforo tho public Protection for Thoie Who Will Work. "Of course, this in itsolf will not lead directly to what the public require. The whole community is crying out for coal, and i coal they must have, and if work is not re- ' I sumed voluntarily m the very near future, it ,is absolutely essential that coal should bo lound for the community at largo. Tha mino-owncr, in this anxious timo when coal ' , ?™2 sc " ree ' ;™ ul<i .i-eceivo short shrift at tho ands of public opinion if ho refused to open Ins mine und put out coal. .On the other hand, min« °™a\l * ho arC , lvilliD <r to ™ tk «iolr nines, and those men who aro prepared to help want, e o? r ?£ UCtl(m 0f S" 1 t0 mMt «» «*!»« n™»;»4.. T com »H"»ty are entitled to every Pawfu? 'occuXn." StUto in -"*• ° ut lhc * GOVERNMENT CRITICISED. against it becomes overwhelmingly lioslihf Every whew there is strong cri ic¥m at thoh±l°" S °-! d do^'s *>** aow eo" U • »S nM lte . OV .V r attem l )t to "ot; and tho . ' Si } n f nM> °? lto .<»'nmunity is becoming n™,f d J? oro ,» n Pati«a* of half-measures an! - W h ,of. conciliation. The board ' Pi l« » bj. Ao/Acting-Prcmier is, no doubt, , amlnS ) ?"' Cd . to l - dll) '' aud , Ju <¥ lle . vd on ha« ! » hn)« u ,»" B " ltcntl ?» "f dealing with tho , n ?-?f t tUa vi lou > 10 gai-dk.M of class or party. nml.l }l ?,' lUnot CanM! COal t0 >*> bOWn, ' , and should it fat even to extract tho nocc* 1 struoted as to the miners' gnovnnces, what good purpose will it serve? Witnesses may b* called, and may .bo sent to gaol if they refuse to appear, or are dumb and recalcitrant under l examination, but tho main mischief will bo no nearer ledrcss. ■ Palermo's Coal: Unions Defy Strike Congrosj, J'- 1 M n T hil ?v the aroa . ot lh6 6trilio threatens to extend. Wo seem to be watching ail ™. domic, and while tho main head of the info*. ' tmnis still virulent, another centre is established over tho handling 0 f oo'aTof thl * I alcrmo and tho cargo of the Marmora. Even the btrike Congress cannot control its supposed' ; constituent unions, and while it deCcs Parlia!^Li^ la l' Bnß i a L lh ? '«"•• il » s lts «lf Being laughed at and defied. Soon wo tboll have ' ' the whole State in a blaws while tha Government is lost in thought. Quite dearly tho queiuon is not one of guanoes, but of an outuieak of lawlessness; and the revolutionary e emcut represented by Mr. Peter Bowline is oMtsel? SUUdry tlmt U ' St obott kw "How, then, under such circumstances can the Government refrain from taking promnl and immediate action!' It is being discredited from one end of the State (o the other. Th« oommumty is deeply moved at Ministers'incn- • titudc, and now tho mass of the people is beginning to show contempt. The prevailing . . leelmg is that things have come to their pre- , sent pass because tho Government did not move J early enough, and that at the rale we aro going, neither Parliament nor Cabinet directly ', w ill bo worth thinking about. It. is painful to. have to write in these terms, but at such ' times tho truth must bo told, and iold with, - out, flinching. . , . • ' • |

, : ; ; Policy.;of Arresting;ths : Leaders. ;■ S; "If the powers'atjpresentvestediii tive, are ;not sufficient to deal with a-' groat ,i emergency, let the neo'esfary measures be intro-' ' duced - and- forced 'Without delay.' Coal is re-'' •'' quired, :and v;ill. be -coining! .'to port - ;in■.:great -■' shiploads.- .Let lull.-provision: bo made for'. landiug.it, and for adequately protecting-every. '■:!■ body who is .willing to take a part in' unload-;'-ing, .Fiually-and this should come first-let'. V' everybody concerned- in. fomenting,' leading, or ; i extending, the strike'be arrested, nhd aB-other•'; leaders come forward, let them be also'arrested.--1' When a regiment,mutinies and-has to bo pun- : i! lshed, the whole of-the rank, and file are not " dealt with; .but every tenth man. has-to bear >' the bu'rdon<-for. the- rest.-:It wouldvboifuSle'v'/ to.' atUiupt:.to' arrest' hundreds, of "thousands''of -'<' : men who, may attempt, to furtheri^foventaho pnblie from -starting- the 'wheels of; industry' again,' but'.the State,will .have, no difficulty':in laying .its,'hands. on';;tlie-leaders,'and -.in •> sternly. repressing. the rest.',--To- this -end; tho;:' Govei'iimont must fulfil its.pledges adequately, . and. at once," and .tlie:6wiftor. and moro'eifeo-;!- 1 five- the first;.blow; the' sooner will the trouble 1 V ,bo over,'' ~.,','-,-V..'r'-.-,., ' .'-.l ' ;-'-.'-'....'!-'..-.: i -:''.'-.\-.:-.f!■>■..■''.'./.'.C-HOW HOW LONG-CAN THE STRIKERS HOLD'vV ''■'■ '•'! .' : /^'^ : ;.',^;; : ;^-S :, .::•^?.^ .- {■[ leaders • say '"for, 'months.*':;■ -S% ,'Mr, s Eutton ,(ohe : of..the. northern to the- Sti-iko Congrcss),and ;Mr.-Bufns'(treas-urer of • the Mintrs'. Amalgamation),' contend 'V the strikers-can: hold-out.i and; will hold ;out,'; tor months,, if - necessary, .'',<; '-.:;.; :>.••,-.■ .-, '"Why," said Mr.,llutton .to .'a reporter, l "wo '*' have been going- into training for.this• for the■ last.-12.mouths. . Work ,has,been so;slack;'arid ft tho conditions' forced ,on us by the proprietors j have been so hard, that: it lias prepared .us;'. You don't .know how long ,men can last when ft they are determined.;'; In' the great strike- in -V ! the, Midland; counties-in/Englaud: aboutyears- ago, .in .the time :'ot- the Featherstono ,: .' riots, ; we wero but for 17/weeks,-.nhd wohadft very.little support... There we're 150,000 miricra' ''■ oiit,.arid : towards the end of; it th'cy wbrb'liv. ft ing. on -eats, : or n'tiythiiig.'; ■• -i ■ : '.-Ji" i : ■ ■■;'<, '

■; 'Then, again,, there; was the Scotch./strike,'! -■:>. m -Sixteen ,weejcs ; tho men i wcre^'out,^ l : and they had; scarcely. 'a : 'penny ■of help. •; Fife-Vi shire and:'Xlackraiiii>inn'i-spbnV : abbnt : The; rest of Scotland had to depend onthose ,r ;; two /counties for their, support. ' Sixteen, weeks r>'< they; stood out; -Iwasiin-theinbfth; of England ■' - myself 'at' that time. Vr\'.« : ''' : :.-'r ■'■:■■•. ■'::;•-;■:- ■■■:■■'■ *H ."That shows clearly, how men,. can ; stand buf'-'K when they take it.intoi> : thcir heads.";'';■:-' ■%'.■■■:.'; THE rioN-WORKING oKIMIPpRf EDICOAL; ?S I ■ ''. ; 'FAR-REACHIfe'POSSIBILITIES;; ; ■;;; : In, the.: course, of its' strike;sumniai'y'-..0n Do->- : ceniber A, the "Sydney Morning Herald" thus : sums up.'the .position "with regard.. -Id ''"'tl»''' : ".': :; . Palormos Japanese.coal:.■■";.,■:-■ •■■;v.:i<. ;';■ ■ '. "Tho position- to-day,; in. the;coal; strike:". iiQl" graver than.at any' previous lime: '■' The coaU.'. .'lumpers' met yesterday irioraiiig; and: decided '■''■"• by an overwhelming .majority not -to'.'haudle-:.. ;l the Japanese coal oii tho.-P: and 0., steamer ; .'-:' Palermo... VV,;S*';'y.:i '■; ;V./j;' ■\ : t-S\ ':.,?>V- ; "This decision was! in direct defiance of ■ the--":' instructions of-' the Strike' Congress ; that - the .' coal-lumpers should;handle.'the 'coal for.-the : ; ; P. and o.' mail: boat;.' Yesterday', the..Strike .: ''■' ■ Congress, .learning' of..'.tliis,. passed- the -same' ■:;''; resolution a second- time, and asked the. coallumpers- to reconsider 'it.- : The' congress c, d«-''' ; ,'/i tided, that Messrs. Hughes.; Bowling,- Patter-K:' son> ■ Guthrie, Dunlcavy, and. Cooper should;:,'., attend a 'meeting 1 ;of; coal-lumpers:on Monday '-'. morning, and ask!them.to" reverse their-dcci. V siou. '. . ;.':■■■'. - ; ' - :: .; >'.: ■ :",.■',"■. ".'."■•'■'■;■/;.• :\\\- ;- "Meanwhile, the crew ; -.; is unloading'';: 'the';''-' Palermo's .coal,'', which may'lbe,'piit - llito : the;: '> Marmora on Monday; .It is ox(ioc'.ed that when ' '; this,happens,; unless the coal-lumpers, have' re- 7i" turned to work on the Palermo, the wharf.';:.' .labourers will refUsa ".to V work /on the ? Mar.^''■■' mora.- ;;;'■■!' ;■"■:■ :';l}?s:r ;•';::--v.w: -';;: '.'.:'-..;■;;"' :;: •' "Members,of the c6ngJoss : 'statß' that; ; this -'" would, precipitate a waterside'strike all round': i the coasts.; This would: bo in'defiance of: theV' orders, and the 'plan.-, 'of.' campaign 'of ."■'■ tho'-'" •'■•'•: Strike Congress. -It is said" that the' Strike '■'■'■ ! Congress resolved..yesterday;lint to admit the;.;-: representatives, of unions that-.-.disobeyed it. In''- : that oase,' tho Strike Congress; might gradually V - dissolve.";-'. ■ -;-,..-ii,;■'■.-' ■'."'.;./:'-•>. '.;-r : .,;>'\.;::....< : \::-'' • [Cabled, iidvioe received ..subsequently. an--'"''•"' nounced that the coal-lumpers refused ;to be ■ swayed by. tho Strike Congress, and persisted '■; in their determination not;to work the Palermo's'ooal.] .•;'■ ~-:.■■:..]■ ".;■ ..;'.-,;.'■.'■,..•■..•,-';■■,.■■■'.;....'.'.■■.■'-.-:. 'm'- ■.-' ; ....—■— . . ;:'; -V;p---