AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5212, 5 December 1927, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

THOUSANDS RENDERED IDLE. COLOSSAL LOSS TO INDUSTRY. SYDNEY, December 3As the strike is developing the effects are becoming more widespread. Many thousands of men have been rendered idle throughout the country, involving a colossal loss to industry. All inter-State commerce has ceased, and the loss in wages alone is estimated ,at £30,000 a day. The waterfront at Sydney presents a desolate appearance, for, apart from the few ships which are exernpt from the operations of the strike, the harbour is filled with idle vessels. The wharves are deserted.

It is expected to-day that 10,000 miners in the Northern coalfields will be thrown out of employment as a result of the strike.

There are approximately 64 oversea steamers in Australian waters, with a tonnagq pf 440,000. AU these are affected by the strike.

Sir Alfred Meeks, president of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, says a complete hold-up of shipping at the present juncture can only be described as a dire calamity. All steamers arriving are carrying seasonable goods which, if they cannot be placed on stores for 12 months, and the risk of the market for the Christmas trade, will have to remain in the bonddeteirioiation and the loss of interest will be a heavy burden for the commercial community.

Mr W. H. Seale, secretary to the Waterside Workers’ Federation, claims that the present position is a lock-out. As far as the: watersiders are concerned, he says, there is no strike. They were willing to keep the wheels of industry moving up to 5 o’clock, but the shipowners were dettermined to inflict great hardship ahd loss on the community by enforcing their demands, and they must carry the blame fpr the trouble which h; s arisen. x

As no coal is available at Newcastle on account of the strike, the Union Company’s steamer Kurow, which was to load there for Auckland, will be delayed indefinitely. This is so f,ar the only vessel to affect Auckland directly.