Big Sums Collected for Australian Miners

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 717, 17 July 1929, Page 1

Big Sums Collected for Australian Miners

DOMINION CANVASS i POLITICIANS’ TRIP TN the past few weeks some A thousands of pounds of New Zealand money has been sent into Australia to help the Newcastle miners who are on strike. Many thousands more are promised monthly by the workers in the Dominion for a similar object. As a direct result of the visit to New Zealand recently of Messrs. J. M. Baddeley, M.P., and Hamilton Knight, M.P., two Australian politicians, the striking miners received immediately £4,000 from their New Zealand colleagues, and promises of £6,000 to £B,OOO monthly in levies were made. An explanation of this huge transfer of money was essayed by Messrs. Baddeley and Knight in reporting to a public meeting at Newcastle on their return. Incidentally their report was touched with irony, when they said that “the earthquake would probably have some effect upon the financial position of the country, as the workers would be temporarily affected.” “NOT A HOLIDAY” The Newcastle “Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate” records Mr. Knight as having said that, so far as the New Zealand mission was concerned, the greatest satisfaction was I the splendid success that crowned I their united efforts in the cause of i the mining industry of Australia. He j wished to place on record his appreciation of the assistance rendered by j Mr. Baddeley. No man could have done more, or worked harder or more ; enthusiastically in their cause. As a j result of the trip the miners would i benefit by many thousands of pounds. The tour of the Dominion, as well as being interesting and successful, j served the dual purpose of further I cementing the bonds of comradeship i between the workers of New Zealand i and Australia. They were wboleI heartedly behind the Newcastle men : in their struggle. Mr. Baddeley said that, after being j deputed by the miners* executive to j go to New Zealand, Mr. Knight and j himself were away eight weeks. It | was not a holiday. They travelled 3,549 miles ir» trains and motor-cars, and addressed 79 meetings. When they left New Zealand £4,000 had been sent to Australia, and as a result of levies, between £6,000 and £B,OOO will be collected j monthly. Only on the Thursday preceding his i speech, said Mr. Baddeley, he had received a letter from Mr. J. Roberts, i secretary of the Alliance of Labour in i New Zealand, stating that another I amount had been sent. Mr. Baddeley assured the gathering that the workers of New Zealand were | whole-heartedly behind them in the I present struggle.