LABOUR TROUBLES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9669, 17 December 1909, Page 5

LABOUR TROUBLES.

HEETIN G OF MINERS-' ADDRESS BY MR HUGHES. TREMENDOUS UPROAR. ■United Press Association —By Eleotric Telegraph Copyright. Received December 16, 10 a.m. SYDNEY, December ?6.

Mr W. M. Hughes, Labour leader, •addressed a large meeting of miners last night. He said he believed a condition of thines had been created in the Newcastle district which had become intolerable. He believed these conditions were deliberately •created by the employers, and he also believed that the owners have wanted for many months past just auch a struggle as the present one; and although they may have been caught, so far as a day or week was had been deliberately bringing about such a state of affairs. It was to their financial interest to precipitate such a crisis. He knew from a. that it was the intention of the employers not to bring about a settlement till February, although they"denied it. He had not advocated strike, and never would. Great'disorder'followed the address by Mr Hughes. Mr Bowling accused Mr Hughes -of not taking his colleagues into his confidence. With reference to his intention to address a meeting, Mr Hughes had triad to cfraw a red herring, across the trail. He did not want a general strike, because his -own men would bewailed out, and he would be a criminal, like Peter Bowling. He believed a certain courwe would minimise the struggle; the present'ccurae was prolonging it. -it the leaders would not call them out, the men should come out themselves and tall the leaders what to do. Mr Hughes again came forward, . amid a scene of disorder caused by the rival parties. He declared he had been invited to come to the i meeting by the acting-president of the Miners' Federation. He had attacked no man", but nevertheless had been obliged to listen to a tirade of personal abuse and tittle-tattle that v weuld antedehrrian washThe miners' delegates at 'the Strike Congress bad kept them in the dark as to the true state of ! things. He had moved for ajgeneral strike on the first day conference, unless an open conference was because he believed Mr Bowling had seized the psychological moment. When he hadjlooked into ithe matter he foundjthat the miners, .at Mr Bowling's bidding,bad played >the masters' game. The statement •that Mr Bowling was always anx-

jjous forgeneral strike was untrue; Jbe had moved at,, the, congress, to : * J- ■' V l ''/ '• *' :■ ■■'*** . . •r'-'-' '• give fourteen days notice. rMessrs Bowling and Hughes, amid disorder, gave one another the lie, bat Mir Paterson, president of the 'Miners' Federation, to the ■ accuracy of Mr Hughes' statement. ' Mr Hughes declared that Mr Bowlilng had said that'if he (Mr Hughes) vwould agree to work the Young ■Wallsend and Ebbw mines, there ' would be no'general strike. That was l > Che bargain he wanted made. ' There was trenaen dous uproar, and tthe meeting broke up in^confusion. Ufceceived Decern b er 17, 1 a.m. JSYUNEY, December 16. 'Mr'Wade, speaking in the State Assembly, said that he regretted * 'that at this late st age of the session 'that the Government had to seek the oPia||«r asked for in the motion to deal 'With the industrial crisis. Tbe present continued turmoil had caused discomfort and suffering. The pros-

tpect of similar occurrences in the I future were the reasons for the Government asking for power to interfere. 'Uhe Oppositionists . protested -against :rushing such an important measure.through. There was no need, they contended, for panic legislation. The closure'was applied, and the motion carried. Mr Wade moved the introduction 'of the Bill. Mr Hughes conferred with representatives of the Newcastle miners and wharf labourers. Subsequently Mr Hughes, with several Northern •delegates to the Strike Congress, returned to Sydney. The Congress is mow sitting, discussing their report. A Newcastle message states that the meeting was a stormy one. Mr 'Hughes argued that the cause of the Northern miners would be best served 'by the Southern and Western men returning to work, and he urged the 'necessity of giuing the Strike Con-1 •gress supreme power. The miners' delegates afterwarda discussed the 'question, 'and there is ground to believe that they fell in with Mr Hughes' views. Mr Mitchell, secretary of the Federated Colliery and Engine Drivers' Association, told an interviewer that he jntended to take the responsibility of advising the' Southern and Western men to return to work. From other delegates it was gathered that they intended to visiA the Southern and Western districts during the next few days, but they did not disclose the purpose.