N.S.W. COAL TROUBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1930, Page 5

N.S.W. COAL TROUBLE

SHOCK TACTICS

BY N. S. W. POLICE

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

SYDNEY, January 16. The shock tactics of the police on the coalfields yesterday have had the effect of producing a lull in the activities there to-day. The police are taking no chances. Additional motor vehicles, for use •by the police, have been sent to the coalfield. More motors are being shipped ‘ from Sydney to Newcastle this week. The question of the police using the radio is now under the consideration of the authorities, who believe that transmission sets at strategic points would strengthen their organisation. Gone, for the time being, is the “Miners’ Defence Corps”. Nor is it possible to discover any large bodies rtf idle miners in any of the principal coalfield streets, where, hitherto, their .massing and speech making had been a daily occurrence'. The police think that the miners ifin'y Mow tiirn their attention to the Rothbury’ Colliery. At Roth bury the defences and flood lighting are most elaborate. ' , Two hundred of the miners have received a rude shock today, when they learned that their food orders have been cancelled. At Kurri Kurri some of the men whose orders are cancelled, have protested, arguing that they took no part in any lawless demonstrations. Their protestations, however, are of no avail.

MELBOURNE, January 16. The .High Court to-day reserved its judgment in the appeal of the mine owners against Judge Beeby’s Award in the Arbitration Court ordering the resumption of work at;, the coal mines Ori, the Northern Field at the pre-stop-page rates. i •%* WORKERS DEFENCE ARMY. V FEARS’ OF MINE DAMAGE. SYDENY, January 17. • New South Wales labour council at Trades Hall decided to form a workers defence army. , • An official bulletin admitted thp army is a permament revolutionary, force. “We must prepare not only for resistance but for attack,” so the manifesto states. It is reported that the consitiutionahASrspciatidif intended tirftrm a Fascist body, but the council decided that any unionists who joined would be expelled. The Miners Federation is supplying labour to fill the places of engine drivers who are on strike at unassociated pits. The miners eexecutive advised the miners to discontinue mass picketing.' 'There are grave fears owing to the cessation of pumping, that some of the mines will become permanently unworkable. Active coal producting at Rothbury is continuing amounting to £l5O per day.

COAL OWNERS

CONSIDERING MR SCULLIN’S OFFER,

SYDNEY, January 17

The coal owners are Holding an important meeting to-day to consider the terms proposed by Mr Scullin. There is a feeling of optimism that a solution may soon be found to settle the dispute.

LABOUR MEMBER’S REQUEST

SYDNEY, Jan. 17,

A' Labour member of the Federal Parliament, Mr Eldridge, has telegraphed to Mr Scullin asking him to take steps to disarm the coalfields police, failing which, to convene a special-' Labour • ‘caucus 'to discuss the advisability .of the Federal Government .[taking full control of the coal situation.

AN ART AWARD

SYDNEY, Jan. 17

The National Art Gallery trustees awarded the Archibald prize tins jear to Sir John Lougstaff, for his portrait of W. A. Holman, K.CI, a former Premier of New South. .Mains. 'lhe ■exhibits numbered seventy-five. The prize was founded by the late Joi n .Archibald of the “Bulletin” for the Ibest portrait painting by an Australian artist, and is awarded anmally.