The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1909. THE NEW SOUTH WALES COAL STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2698, 31 December 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1909. THE NEW SOUTH WALES COAL STRIKE.

J'-'SAII the signs available point to the j early termination, of the disastrous j strike amongst Newcastle and other the outset the men were over-keen on striking, but,, as is in such cases, permitted to he led oy the nose by and demagogues of the Bowling' type. Having struck, they stood to their leaders manfully, but when the New South Wales Premier rushed through ■ Parliament. a special law giving the Government greater powers than ever, they began to take a different view of the situation. Under this amendment to the Industrial Disputes Act, the Government provides extreme penalties against all strikers, and its severity.can be judged by the fact that one batclrof thirteen have already been fined £IOO each, or in default two months’ imprisonment.. The men very naturally railed against the iniquity of a Government which could sanction such legislation, but its effectiveness was recognised from the outset. The position is aptly set forth in the following paragraph, taken from a Sydney exchange:—

A miner and his mate discussed the situation in a suburban bar on Saturday. “It’s this way, Jim.’’ said one. “We’re about beat. As Billy Hughes says, Wade’s got the gun. The gun’s pointed at us, and we’ve just got to get out of the road, or we’ll git hit.” Jim had not grasped the position.-like his pal, for ho retorted, “Oh, git. How is Wade going to get us back in the mines. He can’t make us work.” The other wasi equal to, the occasion, and his argument, rugged though it was, came out of a nutshell thus: “That’s all right, but yer evadin’ the point, Jim. If we keeps ou strikin’, every cove ’ll be strikin’ Von liis own. Don’t .3'er see Peter’s jugged, Billy’s gagged, the congress is wiped out,. and Wade’s squintin’ , ’is;eye over.-the barrel of ’is gun at' us.” Jim was unconvinced. but many others came across, and agreed that they wore “outed.” All the fire-was gone out of'the most of them, and the end seems to be at hand. Even the Sydney* Labor Council, violently protesting against the Act, testified to its'effectiveness. The vice-president said Vat a special meeting held to consider the position:—| “I am sorry the, Act was not even more drastic. : It has taught us that although \our Labor: Council is strong, and our unions are, strong, tlierc/is a power stronger , than bur congress’ and all—-the Parliament: of the county.' It is to be hoped "fhit will feftch' us that we have to look to the balfot-box as our fighting ground.. . .1. This new law is the death-knell of /strikes. We have to'realise it. The <]uly way to redress the workers’ grievances is to get , the ■ reins 1 of power.” / ; 1 This is a thoroughly legitiipate standpoint. It may and probablj will mean . trouble :in Parliamentj, hut even the disadvantages of the tlireb party political system are trifling compared to the harmfulness of ~strides. There is, . fortunatelyj every - prospect that Mr. Wade’s new law will result jn an early cessation of the strike which has already lost a good klqal of its - power. The Now South Willed Premier took a big risk in . formulating such drastic provisions, lor there is always a danger, particularly during a stroke periodf; of. workmen defying a law that to them appears unjust. Hoty ' *'i as matters have at ; 1 1 revolutionJ and the fireOLEUM, and, FUP !TMENTS -'•aiVo wb .1

eating methods of Mr. Peter Bowling have met with little sympathy from the mass of the miners. The big strike has certainly been marked by remancable orderliness, a fact which must stand to the credit of the strikers, and also of their political leader, Mr. Hughes.