CABINET DISSENSION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 852, 21 December 1929, Page 11

CABINET DISSENSION

COAL CRISIS CAUSES TROUBLE RESIGNATION THREAT Reed. 10 a.m. SYDNEY, Today. The “Sydney Morning Herald” says the coal dispute has caused dissension in the ranks of the Federal Cabinet. It is understood that Mr. J. A. Beasley, Assistant-Miuister of Industries, threatens to resign from the Federal Cabinet unless prosecutions are instituted against the State Minister of Mines, Mr. R. W. Weaver, Mr. John Brown, and the coalowners, under the Crimes Act. The Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, is making a special visit to Sydney to interview Mr. Beasley on the question. It is understood that at today's conference of Federal members, proposal* are to be submitted for decisive action against the colliery proprietors. Messages from the northern coal fields state that no miners applied for work at any of the associated idl* collieries, in accordance with Mr. Justice Beeby’s order for the reopening of these mines, nor did the coalowners make the slightest effort to reopen them. The Judge's order was thus ignored by both sides. Coal hewing is still proceeding smoothly at Rothbury and some trucks have been filled ready for transportation.

About 2,000 strikers marched to a small bush colliery, called the Myall mine, near Cardiff, this morning and induced the non-union miners employed there to refrain from going to work. This colliery had been worked right through the dispute until today.