COAL STRIKE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1929, Page 5

COAL STRIKE

CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS (Australian Press Association). (Received this day at 8.30. a.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 17. It is now revealed that the police defending Rothbury yesterday morning were without ammunition from 9.30 until 11.30. The police issued a very small supply, it never being anticipated that they would need to adopt this last resort. During the two hours’ suspense thousands of miners swarmed in a threatening mass round the fence of the colliery and had the miners known, there is no telling what might have happened in the temper they were in. All police leave lias been cancelled and police already on leave have been recalled. The Minister of Mines (Mr Weaver) says the attacking miners began hostilities by firing shots, but 'lnspector James Connell, representing the Miners’ Federation, said Mr Weaver, was entirely responsible for the outbreak. He asserted that men taking no part in t’tie attacks upon the police, were shot down. The miners will withdraw from all mines in New South Wales to-day in sympathy with the killed and wounded Rothbury men.

Mr Bavin stated that unnecessary hotels in the Rothbury district would be closed to diminish the danger of violence and. lawlessness, and volunteer police would be sworn in. Arrangements h*ive been made to start work at Rothbury this morning, a day earlier than anticipated. To protest against the Rothbury shootings a monster demonstration has been arranged by the Labour Council to take place in Hyde Park to-night. It is anticipated at least 50,000 unionists will attend. AUSTRALIAN’S VIEWS. (.By Telegraph, Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Dec. 17. Hon. Watson, the first Labour Premier of the Commonwealth, is a senger by the Marama, He will spend about two months in the Dominion. Speaking. of the coal industry' Mr Watson said much of the unrest was fermented by a minority of misguided men, who were bland, as well as mad. These men had swallowed Communism and its subversive doctrines and though they were only a small group they made themselves heard in an unpleasant way. I should say a big body of the men in the coal industry are very. tired of the situation and would be glad to be back to work, observed Mr Watson. Much of the commercial depression was occasioned by coal troubles. Manufacturers found a paucity of coal supplies resulted in a rise in the price of coal and as a consequence the manufacturing cost rose making everything dearer all round. v

VIEWS ON AUSTRALIA.

AUCKLAND, Dec, 17

Mr Moreton Hogan (proprietor of Blair Athol colliery, Queensland), a passenger by the Marama, said the mine was working smoothly when he left. He was reluctant to express any opinions regarding the Maitland troubles. Hogan said ten thousand men who had been out of work about ten months were now in sore straits. When he left Australia it was feared there would be a clash with the police. The strike had affected the industry iir Queensland, a great demand having been made on supplies. Doctor W. Horton, of Auckland, who spent five months in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane was also a passenger on the Marama. He was present when Mr Hogan was describing the condition of the coal industry. He said:—“Hogan cannot say so but everywhere on© goes in Australia the opinion is expressed that the New South Wales Government will find it very difficult to impose its will on the miners. Mr Bavin is believed to have a very difficult task. It is doubtful whether he will succeed.