Evatt Denounces Anarchy On N.S.W. Coalfields

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 54, 7 March 1944, Page 5

Evatt Denounces Anarchy On N.S.W. Coalfields

LAW MUST TAKE ITS COURSE, SAYS CURTIN Received Monday 11.15 p.m. CANBERRA, March 6. Leading officials of the Coal Miners* Federation have been summoned to Canberra immediately. Announcing this today the Attorney-General (Dr. Evatt) said: “Tho present anarchy m the Coal Miners’ Federation is disgraceful and can continue no longer. A comparatively small majority of the Southern New South Wales miners who attended yesterday’s meeting wantonly turned down the advice of their own leaders.” With the Southern New South Wales coal strike in its sixteenth day the War Cabinet in Canberra today discussed the situation. No decisions were announced, but Mr. Curtin in a subsequent interview said: “Tbe law in relation to this matter is going to take its inexorable course. No group of men can usurp the functions of Government in Australia.' ’ The new Coal Bill, which passed through both Houses of Parliament last week, will become law within tbe next few days. The present strike may prove the first test of tho efficacy of the measure. In sixteen days of idleness on the southern coalfields approximately 160,000 tons of coal are estimated to have been lost. About 200 young miners called up for military service because of the strike arrived in Sydney today, but their good humour indicated that most of them were glad to get into tho army.