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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 300, 28 January 1910, Page 5

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.STRIKE LEADERS SENTENCED TO HARD LABOR. BREACH OF THE STRIKE SUPPRESSION ACT. PETER BOWLING HARANGUES THE COURT. JUDGE'S SCATHING STRICTURES. HOPE OF VICTORY ABANDONED. By Cable.—Press Association. -.Oupyright' Etjpeived 27. 9.35 p.m. Sydney, January 27. The prosecution of the strike leaders, Bowling, Hucion, Butler i.:ni O'Couuor, under ihe Strike Suppression Act, lor taking part 111 a strike meeiing m |3 U !li was eonciihleil to-day. fowling was sentenced to twehe months' luird lab or ;aml the other defendants ei^iit months' eacli. 0 Bowling, iu liis address, said the old congress had been dissolved, loavia'' 20,000 men without leaders. 'lite new congress was formed with tile intention of bringing about peace as rapidly as, possible and consistent with the maintenance of unionism. It was disaffection that crept into the Council's leaders that led him to abandon the hopes of victory he had entertained up to that point. He recognised defeat wat-j inevit,. ■able, but it should be accepted by the unionists as a united body and not in ..scattered sections. He had adfoeaUd peace and a speedy settlement at Bulli. r He did not ask for any clemency. If found guilty lie had been guilty ituio cently. If imprisoned he hoped the men .who trusted him would not petition for clemenoy. He would he 110 l'riend of ,his 'Who asked fo r clemency from a Government that made a criminal of him. Bowling spoke for an hour and a half. The Judge, in summing up, said the -southern miners had no quarrel with their employers which was not capable of adjustment. When tho men struck .on a quarrel which was not their's, was -it not unionism gone mad? Moreover, •was it actually suggested that all the other unions handling coal should come out? Was that not tyranny? What .had the other innocent workers of the community done that they should be de■prived of a necessary commodity? What ; of the- poor people who were unable to get coal? The country had been made a reproach among the nations because of the miners' refusal to allow coal to .be hewn or to go forth. The Government had exercised all the forbearance possible in attempting to arrange a settlement. The Act had been called a coercion Act, but any kind of Act, call at coersion or anything else which was calculated to bring about peace, was to be unwelcomcd. Defendants had proceeded in defiance ol the law. He had no doubt in their private lives they were as good men as thev could be.; He supposed that some might say it was a crime, but this was not a crime, thoujh defendants had been guilty of a breach of a section of an Act in a most deftant manner. He could" not help no' icing and admiring Bowling's natural ability, which had raised him to a position of trust, but the information had been proved against him and the other defendants. There was a "tearful leave-taking between the prisoners and their wives. The crowd cheered the men as they left the Court. POSSIBILITY OF THE MEN RETURNING TO WORK. Sydney, January 27. At a meeting of delegates of the southern collieries it was decided by a small majority not to resume work, hut the opinion was expressed that if an interim award of + he Wages Board was made it would be possible for the men to go "baelt. Eight miners, for obstructing a carter at Whitburn colliery, northern district, were sent to gaol for periods ranging from 24 days to three months.