SERIOUS CRISIS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 594, 21 February 1929, Page 9

SERIOUS CRISIS

Australian Unionists Make tour Uncompromising Demands RELEASE OF A PRISONER (United. P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Received 11 a m. SYDNEY, To-day. A SERIOUS stage has been reached in the deliberations of the Industrial Peace Conference. Uncompromising demands have been made for the settlement of the timber workers’ strike and the withdrawal of dismissal notices to the miners. The withdrawal of free labour from the wharves, and the release of Jacob Johnson are also demanded.

A disorderly scene occurred at the peace-in-industry conference at the Sydney Town Hall yesterday. A noisy mob of hostile women, said to be the wives of timber workers, came from another meeting and rushed into the hall after overpowering the attendants.

The intruders ascended the stairs to the gallery. Prom there they shouted and chanted “solidarity for ever,” at the delegates assembled below.

The police were summoned and ordered all the women to leave the hall.

All the timber yards operating under the Lukin award were yesterday declared “black” by the Sydney Disputes Committee.

Two hundred transport drivers have been called out on strike. The Federal Attorney-General, the Hon. J. G. Latham, stated that he had been informed of cases of intimidation of volunteer workers, both in Sydney and in Melbourne yesterday. At Canberra, a letter from James Andreson, whose affidavit was read in the House of Representatives last week, in connection with the imprisonment of Jacob Johnson (formerly secretary of the Seamen’s Union), ■was produced in the House by Mr. E. G. Theodore. The letter stated that Andreson was returning from New Zealand, and he was prepared to give a lot more useful facts concerning the whole thing. He said it was a frameup from beginning to end. Andreson alleged that Longmore, a Commonwealth police officer, said to Walsh: “Andreson and I will get Johnson out to Long Bay. Then you

will have a clear run with your new union.”

Johnson is serving a six months’ term in connection with the trouble with the Marine Cook’s Union.

The affidavit sworn by Andreson, a member o£ the Seamen’s Union at Wellington, was to the effect that he took notes of a meeting of seamen and communicated what had happened to Mr. Dillon, representative of the Shipowners’ Federation. Andreson alleged that subsequently, through Mr. Dillon, he met Longmore, who induced him to obtain other witnesses for the prosecution, and that Longmore supplied money for this purpose. Mr. Theodore demanded a searching inquiry into these allegations. COAL POSITION The Premier of New South Wales, Mr. T. R. Bavin, returned to Sydney yesterday from Canberra, where he had discussed the position in the coal industry with the Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce. Mr. Bavin says Mr. Bruce agreed to renew the Commonwealth Government’s offer of a bounty of one shilling a ton on all coal exported from New South Wales. The State Government’s original offer of a reduction in railway freights on coal still stood. This, with the consent of the miners to a reduction of one shilling in their wages, should enable the employers further to reduce the price of coal four or five shillings a ton. In that case the industry should soon be rehabilitated.

The Prime Minister expressed the hope that the offer would be accepted promptly by the men.