COAL STRIKE

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1929, Page 5

COAL STRIKE

COURT’S ORDER TO COAL OWNERS. (Australian Press Association), SYDNEY, Dec. 19. The chief development to-day in the coa Idispute was the action of Judge Becb'y in the Federal Arbitration Court in ordering' an immediate resumption of work at all of the idle mines under the pre-stoppage conditions and at pre-stoppage rates of pay. Tire legal argument occupied several hours. Counsel for the Commonwealth Government and tne Miners’ Federation produced affidavits setting forth that a grave industrial dispute exists in Newi South Wales, and Victoria, as the result of “the miners being locked out since March the second last.” Air Shand, K.C.. was counsel for the coal owners. He contended that the Federal Arbitration Court had no jurisdiction to intervene. An officer of the New South Wales Justice Department submitted that the State Government not being a party to any miners’ award, could not now be joined as a respondent in any. Arbitration Court proceeding. Judge Beeby interjected: —“To be quite candid, I am acting under extraordinary powers. I have formed the opinion that the only way to save cue Commonwealth from a very disastrous upheaval is to restore the status quo as in March last.” The Judge then ordered the resumption of work as from ten n.m. to-morrow (Friday) on the conditions and rates of pay prevailing before the stoppage.

A FALSE REPORT. SYDNEY, Dec. 19. The Commonwealth Government denies the report that it intends to commandeer one of the northern coal mines. ONE HURT IN MINE. (Received this day at 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 19. A report from the Rothbury colliery to-day states that the mine is again being picketed, but only by a small group of the local miners. The Minister of Mines (Air Wearne) announced that work' at Rothbury is proceeding uniterruptedly and satisfactorily. There is a police guard at the Rothbury railway. It has been strengthened. It was reported in Parliament today that a miner was injured in the Kotubury colliery yesterday. The Minister of Alines declared that he had no knowledge of this.

WARNING TO AIR BAVIN

SYDNEY, Dec. 19. The business people of the Cessnock coalfields held a meeting, to-day. It is understood that they are advising the Premier (Air Bavin) to discontinue the operations ut Rothbury owing to the likelihood of further serious clashes, for which the Premier will have to take tne full A FIASCO. SYDNEY, Dec. 19. A proposal launched at the Hyde Park demonstration on Tuesday night for a one-day strike to take place today as a protest against the Rothbury shootings, was a fiasco, no workers parti ipating from any industry in the metropolitan area. AIINERS INTENTIONS. USE OF BOYCOTT. (Received this dav at noon.) SYDNEY, Dec, 20. At Rothbury, a meeting of representatives of the whole northern mining lodges decided to again go to Rothpury mine on a greater scale and in a different manner to that of the previous occasion. Other decisions made were a boycott against any industrial company or firm supplying foodstuff to free labourers and police. It was decided that all men should be withdrawn from the whole of the unassociated collieries on the northern -fields and that every lodge picket their respective mines on Monday next. The police have confiscated twelve thousanch military cartridges from Cessnock Rifle Club for public safety. Branxton shopkeepers fearing _ a boycott, refused to serve the police who have arrived in town. It is not expected that the men will resume work as instructed by Justice Beeby.