LOSS OF TWELVE MILLIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1920, Page 1

LOSS OF TWELVE MILLIONS

EFFECT OF 17 MONTHS’ STRIKE AT BROKEN HILL. SYDNEY, Sept. 21.' It is now no less than seventeen months since the work of production ceased at Broken Hill. This is the longest strike in the history of Australia, and probably in the history of industry generally. If the mines and the subsidiary works had been going under normal conditions during that period, there would have been produced about 200,000 tons of market lead, 300,000 tons of zinc concentrate, and 11,500,000 ounces of silver, worth in all £12,000,000.

This huge sum has been lost to Australia. Not only have the shareholders in most of the Broken Hill companies—many of whom were absolutely depenlent oil the moneys thus obtaiend— Irawn no dividends since early in 1919, >ut an even more serious loss has been suffered by the workers of Broken Hill and of the subsidiary places, like Port Pirie, in South Australia. All the better class of men have long since drifted away into other industries; but there are a sufficient number of the loafer type who have remained in Broken Hill in idleness to represent a heavy burden upon the sympathetic unions which have supported them for nearly a year and a half. All this time contributions have been flowing to Broken Hill from certain Labour organisations, mostly the miners’ unions of New South Wales. The men appear to be quite happy in their idleness; but their women and children, according to frequent reports, have been suffering great privations.

A tribunal, the decision of which both sides have agreed to accept, has now just about completed its labours; and there is a general belief that operations will be fully resumed next month. Thus will end the longest, and certainly the stupidest and most costly strike that Australia has known.

GET READY TO REOPEN. fAUSTRALIAN & V.Z. TABLE ISSOCIATTOnI MELBOURNE, Oct. 5.. The mine manager at Broken Hill, lias been instructed by the .Company to take steps to reopen the mines at the earliest opportunity.