ROTHBURY MINE BATTLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 848, 17 December 1929, Page 1

ROTHBURY MINE BATTLE

All Pits Idle As Protest FATAL CLASH WITH POLICE Great Demonstration at Sydney United P.A.—-Bp Telegraph—Copyright Received 11 a.m. SYDNEY, Today. IT is now revealed that the police who were defending the Rothbury mine yesterday morning were without ammunition from 9.30 until 11.30. The police issued a very small supply, it never being anticipated that they would need to adopt this last resort. During the two hours’ suspense, thousands of miners swarmed in a threatening mass round the fence of th® colliery. Had the miners known that the police had no ammunition, there is no telling what might have happened, in the temper they were in.

The casualties resulting from the two clashes are as follow: DEAD Norman Brown, aged 29, miner, unmarried. WOUNDED David Brown, aged 32, machinist, shot in the neck; condition serious. Walter Woods, aged 23, miner, con-1 dition serious. Detective-Sergeant Ryan, of New castle, shot in the forehead, condition critical. Sergeant Moore, of Newcastle, shot in the arm, condition serious. Sergeant Beath, of Cessnock, injuries to the head caused by a stone. Constable Campbell, of East Maitland, wound in the leg. The following miners received minor bullet wounds:—Robert Hup ter, aged 35; William Harrison, aged 23; George Lindsay, aged 26. Their condition is not serious. A number of others were struck with police batons, but refused to enter hospital. The man who was killed, Norman Brown, was shot in the body. Six others have been treated at Maitland Hospital, the condition of three being serious. Between 40 and 50 persons suffered minor injuries and a number of police were also injured. MINERS’ FIRST ATTACK The 4,000 miners first attacked the police at 5.30 a.m., and became so menacing that the police opened fire with revolvers. Three miners were wounded and several of the police were injured by sticks and stones. The wild scene lasted for 20 minutes. The rioters also attacked the Press photographers, whose cameras were seized and their plates stolen. It is stated that Mr. J. M. Baddeley, member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Minister of Mines in the last Government, while urging the men’s leaders to restrain their followers, was injured. His counsels of moderation were not well accepted by the Cessnock men among the crowd. In this first encounter some young hotheads among the strikers swarmed over the mine fence, which had been strung with barbed wire, and jeered at the police, who kept 50yds back from the fence. They acted with great restraint in the face of a difficult situation. Then with wild shouts the crowd burst through, and swept on to the colliery property. They were ordered back by the police, but the advance was maintained. Suddenly a shower of stones flew out from the crowd and fell among the police, who had a hot time in dodging this barrage. ATTACKERS WOUNDED It was after this that the shots were fired and three of the attackers wounded. This scrimmage was preceded by Mr. Baddeley’s attempt to get the strikers to refrain from violence, but the men would not listen. The men yelled: “Let us get in. We will push through and give them a go.” They forced a way through the fence, and the police at first used their batons to keep the crowd at bay. The second clash, at 9.20 a.m., was the worst. It was then that Brown was fatally shot. A car approached the mine gates from Branxton. The crowd thought it was on official car containing Mr. P. O. Weaver, the Minister of Mines. | The occupants were two mine inspectors. There was a wild stampede oi miners across the road. The police also moved to prevent damage to the car and to assist the driver. FATAL SHOTS FIRED The car was taken through the gate amid a fusillade of stones, while the police were hard pressed by the gate. Five shots were fired, and three men fell. Batons and stones apparently accounted for the other injuries among the miners and the police respectively. The Minister of Mines, Mr. Weaver, says the attacking miners began hostilities by firing shots, but Inspector James Connell. representing the Miners’ Federation, said Mr. W’eaver was entirely responsible for the outbreak. He asserted that men who were taking no part in the attacks upon the police were shot down. The miners will withdraw from all the mines in New South Wales today, in sympathy with the killed and wounded Rothbury men. The Premier, Mr. T. R. Bavin, stated that if necessary the hotels in the

Rothbury district would be closed to diminish the danger o£ violence and lawlessness, and volunteer police would be sworn in. Arrangements have been made to start work at Rothbury this morning, a day earlier than was anticipated. MONSTER DEMONSTRATION To protest against the Rothbury shooting, a monster demonstration has been arranged by the Labour Council to take place in Hyde Park tonight. It is expected that at least 50,000 unionists will attend. All police leave has been cancelled, and policemen already on leave have been recalled. The State Premier may yet have to call upon the Commonwealth military forces under the Constitution, section 119 of which provides that in case of domestic violence he can request the Federal Government to call out the permanent forces, the militia or volunteer troops for the protection of the State. A feeling of acute tenseness prevails among the people in the Rothbury district, although quiet is now restored at Rothbury. A few pickets are about, but it is believed that the situation is under control, although no one is prepared to hazard an opinion as to what the next few days will bring forth. • All strangers are suspect, and the pressmen are viewed with distrust by the strikers, who fear their plans to defeat the opening of the mines may be revealed prematurely. Vigilance officers test the bona tides of everyone, even of those attending the miners’ lodge meetings. The representatives of Sydney and Newcastle newspapers on tho scene have been harassed by the strikers and pursued with sticks and threats. They had to hastily retreat in special cars to other points of vantage.

GOVERNMENT FIRM STATE RESISTS FEDERAL INTERVENTION ANNOUNCEMENT BY BAVIN SYDNEY, Monday. The New South Wales Cabinet considered the position at Rothbury for four hours today. The Premier, Mr. T. R. Bavin, announced afterward that the Government did not intend to depart from its policy. The Government deeply regretted the casualties. Mr. Bavin said: “I desire to reiterate that as we are relying on Rothbury and other mines to obtain coal for public services, we cannot, and will not, deviate from that policy because of the acts of violence/* Mr. Bavin stated that he had received an invitation to take part in another Federal conference convened by the Prime Minister, but he had respectfully replied that he could not see that any good purpose could be served by accepting the invitation. “We have already deferred our plans on two occasions at the request of the Federal Government/* he said, “to ascertain whether the dispute could be settled, but all to no purpose. “I now wish to make it clear that the State Government has both the intention and the power to prevent control of the situation being taken out of its hands/' A deputation of miners’ officials called on the Premier, requesting that the police should be withdrawn from the Rothbury colliery in order to avoid further bloodshed. They promised a full supply of ccal. Mr. Bavin replied that the Government’s policy was unalterable. A message from Canberra says the Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, in an urgent message to the miners* leaders, asked them to withdraw the pickets from the Rothbury colliery and also to try to prevent further clashes.