N.S.W. COAL STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2701, 4 January 1910, Page 5

N.S.W. COAL STRIKE.

CABLE NEWS.

STRIKERS’ MINES RESUMING WORK. United Verbs Association— Copyright SYDNEY, Jan. 3. Last month’s accounts show a decrease on the railways and tramways of £47,000, due to the reduced traffic caused by the strike. The strikers’ mines will probably resume work to-morrow, the difficulty with regard to the strike levy having been overcome. The aggregate tonnage # the shipping at Newcastle awaiting coal amounts to 142,225 tons. MELBOURNE, Jan. 3. The steamer Zambesi has arrived with 5000 tons of Japanese coal. The manufacturers were almost at their wits ’end this week to get sufficient coal to carry on operations. STATEMENT BY THE NEW SOUTH WALES PREMIER. [Pun. Press Association.! AUCKLAND, Jan. 3. Mr. Wade, Premier of New South. Wales arrived at Auckland yesterday. Being interviewed, he explained the provisions of the new strike law just put through the State assembly. A section of the workers,” he saici, ‘persistently refuse to observe the conditions of the Disputes' Act, and have endeavored to assert the supremacy ot the unions over State law. The industrial unlieavels of the lust two years have been engineered by a few men with fluent tongues. When the Newcastle strike occurred the Government decided that some more stringent method must he adopted to prevent a few loud-tongued agitators laying the whole country by the ears, just to satisfy personal vanity. Therefore they decided to make the punishment for instigating a strike more severe. Any person so mstigating? may now be summarily senteiTced to 12 months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine. The provisions as to- the main body of strikers are left untouched, as it is felt that in most cases they are more sinned against than sinning, and are by the declamations of agitators. It is now impossible to hold strike meetings. A union deciding a- strike must do so by •g£cret ballot. Therefore there no longorfi'WfeJr of men being called ‘scabs’ if thcY vote Against a strike. The datney vote ag _ Wqlo „ » ca id Mintage to New SmixiL -V a ,, , ‘ Wade says, “is incalculable. A years before Newcastle can regaLf-tn-. overseas trade. Even when the strike ends it is doubtful if the mines can again afford to employ the full number of miners.” Mr. "Wade’s visit to New Zealand is principally a- health seeking tour, but he will enquire into the more important legislation, including licensing, racing, and closer settlement laws. He wants to see for himself the prohibited areas, aslo to enquire into the working of the totalisator, and whether the progressive land, tax is assisting to burst up large estates.