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TIHE S'TRiKE.
MR. BOWLING TO MELT PRO
PRIETORS.
The two aides have suddenly been brought
(e!ether. It lhas been definitely arranged that
Mr. Bowling shall meet the itortheorn proprie
tors in Newcastle at 10 this (Monday) morn
ing. This meeting is the outcome of the me
diation of Dr. Nashl, M.L.C. Dr. Nash for
over a week had been in constant touch with
the Acting Premier, the northern proprietors,
andal Mr. Bowling. Dr. Nash saw Mr. Bowling
off by the train to Newcastle on Saturday.
When leaving Mr. Bowling said that if lie
could got into a conference with the proprie
tors much might be accomplished in half an
heiur.
On Saturday night Dr. Nash informed the
Acting Premier that an important step had
been taken towawlls settlement. (It will be
seen by our telegram. that doubt is thrown
upon the report of mediation having been .f
fected.-Ed. E.P.P.)
It is said that there is a chance of the sou
thern and western miners settling their differ
ences separately. A mediator is also trying to
intervene in.the case of the southern mines.
The State Labour Peaty is likely to take up
a strong and definite attitude on the strike. A
caucus has been calledfor taolay (Tuesday). It
is said that the party favours settlement by
lawful means, and may support the Govern
ment in ensuring it.
A cable has isbee received from the English
Siners' Federation in answer to the call of
the Strike Congress for funds. The cable says
that the appeal will he considered at the next
meeting of the Engish body.
It is said that at 5 o'clock on Priday after
noorl a voto was .taken in the Strike Congres::
on the question of a genoral strike. The vote
was lost.
Tlio Acting Premier had an interview on
Saturday withl Mr. Huglihes, Messrs. Bowling,
Paterson, and other executive members of the
Striko Congress. Mr. Lee heard fully the re
presentations which theli men would have made
had the proprietors attended the meeting.
Arrangements for working the Ebbw Main
aind Young Wallsend collieries hIave been com
pleted. Tihe engine-drivers have decided to
stand by thie miners, and attend to the machi
nory and the hauling.
The stoppage of trams during the forenoon
of Sunday was felt in a considerable degree by
a largo section of the community.
Eight of thelo North Coast Company's steam
ers are to be laid up on account of the dimin
ishsd coal supplies.
This shortage of coal has caused the closing
down of four furonaces in the bottle-making
trade.
Thei wool sales, which were to have been re
sumed on Monday, liave been postponed pend
ing further developments.
Stops are being taken in Newcastle to relieve
lhi distress arising from the strike.
The conditions in connection with the strike
alt the State coal mine in New Zealand are
practically unaltered. The workers are ask
ing for a share of tia profits, which last year
amounted to . t17,000. Tie Government con
aiders the request unreasonable, in view of theli
fact tlihat the average wage is 1ts per day of
seven hours.
Thie railway authorities refused to run a
special train from Albury on Sunday to con
vey the English mails per Marmora to Syd
ney. Tihe mails will be brought on by ordli
nary train reaching Sydney 24 hours later.
Tlhe miners have certainly the support of a
section of the public, whatever attitude it may
take as a whole. This is evident from the fact
hint, although the public must suffer increas
ingly as the .strike continues, donations have
begun to come in.
Mr. -bowling received on Saturday a cheque
for .4100 for the. strike fund. He handed it
over to Mr. Burns, tie miners' treasurer. HMe
will not say who it comes from,.except that it
is a sympathiser. "Public sympathy withl us:
is growing," said Mr. Connington, .the Trolley
and Draymen's secretary, on Sunday. "And I
think there are three reasons for it. There's
this business about hauling coal on the rail
ways for one thing. Then people can see ire
want to be conciliatory, and are doing the best
we can to meet thle owners. But they won't
come half-way. And tlilen thliere's the particu
lar instanes of this in their refusal on Satur
day to meet us before Mr. Lee. It is that that
is turning opinion. Four or five people have
promised me donations to the strike fumnd.
Tihy say thlie coal-owners are a bit too stiff
necked.?"
Noweastle, Sunday. - Mr. Bowling gave a
denial to statements made that there ihad been
dissension ins the union congress, and especi
ally between Mr. Hugihes and himself. He said
everything done in congress had represented
tls unanimous feeling of the members of that
body. There hlad been complete accord witli
regard to the attitude taken up, and also upon
thel question of tactics, and. he wished to say
emplhatically that thera had been no dissen
sion upon tlihe questioun of theli Federal law lie
ing called into oleration. In tisis dispute, in
deed, the congress was pledged to a line of an
lion that did not embrace Federal arbitration.
While Mr. Hughsc might have his own opin
ions with regard to Federal arbitration, he
hIad not obtruded thlem into the congress, and
the possibility of thlie dispute being settle by
Federal arbitration hasd not been discussed by
ithe congress. As to thlso feeling which existed
between Mr. Hugses and himself, they hlad
had no serious differences. Thiey haid differed
upon matters of- detail, but after discumsios
a certain lina of action had been in all crses
unanimously decided upon.
West Maitlaind, Sunday.-A largely-attended
meeting of employees of the mines at Greta
met to hear Mr. D. Ross, a member of the Ad
visory Committee, explain ithe pilan for work
ing the Ebbw Main collieyr. Mr. James Cant,
secretary of thle Ebbw Main Company, said
that 9s per ton would bea deducted from "tlie sol
ling price of tlie coal to pay the company for
haulage, getting, etc., and the remainder above
9s would be divided equally between the cam
pany and the federation. A motion that oveary
confidence bo placed in the executive officors
was carried almost unanimously.
Clifton, Sunlay. -- The coneral opinion re
gaoling Mr. Bowliniy's schema for working
mines at Newcastle in the interest of the min
ors is that it will do a vast amaount of harm to
the miners generally by bringing down the
hewing rate of coal, for tihe reason that tlhe
other mineownems will eventnually enter into
competition and undersell the miners' mines,
wihl tlhe result that tlie hewing- rate, 'on a
sliding scale basis, according to tlheo selling
price of coal, will be considerably reduced,
tllhus causing greater discontent than exists at
prrsent. Some experienced miners hold the
opinion thot the iwo mines being opened to
thio Newcastle district and both the southern
andl western districts left out in the cold will
pIossibly lead to thlcse two districts breaking
away from thle federation.
Queanboyani, Saturlday. - Thlie stationmaster
was aldvised this morning of the new train ar
rangements. Great inconvenience will result.
As flookowners have not finished shearing,
very little.wool hlias been despatched up to the
present. Business people are also concerned.
Theo mine to be worked by strikers is expect
c- to tiri out 1500 tons of coal a day, working
throa sliifls. \
No application hias yet been made to the
lailway Commissianoem for trucks, and tihe de
parmenat is maintaining the attitude of refus
ing to carry coal unless it has first claim upon
it for departmental requirements at a "reason
able price-"
Reports from Nowesstle state that tihe short
Ogo of coal in thle railway depots is really very
serious, and not only will further reductions
in tlihe service be ne.ssitated, but an absolute
stoppage is feared unless largo supplies are
forthcoming.
In tli House of Representatives Mr. O'Mal
lky King (Tasmania) asked Mr. Glynn if the
action of tli New South Wales Railway Com
omiiones was not a violation of the inter
State law wlhich prohibits restraint of trade
inl coinmorco. HIe also drew his attention to
a published interview, in which Mr. Moore, of
Messrs. KethIel and Co., made certain charges
against the coal vend. He asked tlhe Attornov
Geneiral if lie would look into the matter and
make suro of thi facts and then ask Mr.
Moore to help bring tlhe members of thie vend
into tihe pai. of the Commonwealth law. Mr.
Olynn said that hie could add nothing to whiat
the Primo Minister had said, but, assuming
that thei Commicicisioner ihad the facilities for
carrying inter-state consignments the fact of
their being State carries did not remove tlhemi
from the liiivitioas of the Trade and Coca
morco Act. Ie had read tlIe statement made
by Mr. Moore, and had asked thie Crown Solic
itor to communiicteo cwith that gctlenima on
the subject. (JHfs'r, icar.)
Mr. O'Malley: Good!
Mellurne, Sunday. - Replies havo been re
ceived by tlhe Altorney-Goeneral from 15 coal
and shippiing comlcxnics, in response to qucs
tioLns iut to tleem under tlie Anti-Trust law.
In all 27 firms or companies woro requestedl to
answer a long list of intorrogations. When
the remainder are received, Mr. Glynn will de
aide whether any further action is necessary, i
A large number of railway and tramway em
ployees have been granted their" holidays in
order to economiso during tho strike. No free
pnases on the railway are being isseed to the
men.
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