BROKEN HILL STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1718, 8 April 1913, Page 5

BROKEN HILL STRIKE.

TOWN IN A STATE OF SIEGE. MINES PREPARING TO CLOSE. Sydney, April V. Tho strike position at tko Barrier is, daily becoming moro stringent and complicated. Broken Hill is now practically in a stato of siege. . The Government is considering what action will bo taken in connection with picketing at tho Barrier. The Minister for Justice states that \the Government will do its duty, and protect citizens. Tho Tramway Company declines to accede to the demands of the Labour Federation, and tiro latter has ignored tho company's request to r bo allowed to run trains to and from Cockburn for tho carriage of foodstuffs, passengers, and mails only, so as to avoid public inconvenience. Tho only public means of communication are motor-cars. Tho arrival of teams somewhat rclioved the position so far as food supplies are concerned. Tho houses of tramway officials aro closely picketed, and domestic servants ■who aro members of the union liavo withdrawn from them. A serious development is tho stoppago of the municipal sanitary service. At big mass. meetings of unionists speeches indicating a strong determination >not to tolerate non-unionists, besides those already mentioned, wore made. Other mines aro preparing to close. Unless a (rain service enabling the obtaining of supplies and the sending away of ores is quickly restored, work along tho wholo lino of tho lodo will be stopped.

SUPPLIES RUNNING LOW. (Ecc. April 8, 0.40 a.m.) Sydney, April 1. Tlio industrial magistrate appointed to inquire into tlio Barrier strike interviewed jljotli sides. On behalf of the men, it was stated thai; as all the employees of the Silverton Tramway Company aro unionists', all tlio unions were asking was that tlio company should run its service as usual without requiring the men to leave the union. ' Tlio general manager of tho company informed the magistrate that his company wanted, besides the fifteen employees already exempted from the union, seven others to lie exempted. Both sides show a stubborn persistence in their attitude. A meeting convened by tho Mayor at tho request of tho unionists and business men adopted resolutions asking the Government to take imniedinto action to start tho wheels of tlio tramway under union conditions. The meeting appointed a representative committee to control the limitation, anil a subsequent inecl- , ing decided to loltgiuiili tu tho Premier,

Mr. Jl'Gowen, asking him to start tho ams within 21 liours, or take them ovor mid run them. I' lo British mine has restated work, he stock of provisions is running low, and prices are advancing. Two hundred (rucks with supplies aro side-tracked at Cockhurn, on tho South Australian border, NEWCASTLE DISPUTE. OUTLOOK STILL UNCERTAIN. Sydney, April 7. The Northern miners are considering the proprietors' proposals, and will probably come to a decision to-day. Tho outlook is uncertain. Tho South Coast miners' strike is entering ou the fourth week, and is apparently no nearer a settlement. Trado is paralysed, and many •of the miners have left or aro leaving tho district. The Broken Hill .unions havo refused the Tramway Company's offer to run a provision train from Cockburn.