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EXCESS MINERS
REPATRIATION SUGGESTED BY
MR. THEODORE
£100,000 OFFERED
Sydney. May 13.
The Federal Government nave
offered £100,400 for the repatriation
of excess miners on the northern
coalfield, on condition that the
coal dispute is settled. I
The offer was contained in a tele
gram received by the general secre
tary of the Miners' Federation (Mr.
Davies) from the Federal Treasurer
(Mr. Theodore), and was read by Mr.
Davies to the aggregate meeting at
Speers Point to-day.
Mr. Theodore said—"ln the event of
a settlement of the coal mines dispute
on the northern fields, the Coaimon
wealth Government will favorably con
sider the granting of £100.000 towards
providing for the repatriation of excess
coalmincrs on the various coalfields.l
It will be necessary to set up a com
mittee to administer this fund, and to
provide the marinumi amount of bene
fits to excess miners. The committee
would consist of representatives of the
Miners' Federation, coal owners, and
the Commonwealth and State Govern
ments."
Miners' Finance
It is expected that this offer wfllj
have a great influence in persuading
the miners, when they vote on the
auestion on Thursday, to agree to the
terms offered by the associated colliery'
proprietors.
Officials of the federation at the
aggregate meeting to-day gave the men
disquieting facts concerning the posi
tion which would confront the organi
sation if it did not accept the terms
offered by the employers. It was!
stated that the estimated revenue!
available to the federation henceforth
would not be more than £19,723 a fort
night, whereas the estimated expendi
ture would be £2332 or more. There
was a fixed deposit of £57,000 in the
bank, but £64£00 was owing to store
keepers. There was also £33,000 to
the credit of the federation In a cur
rent account, but this Included £17,000
which had been subscribed against
future liabilities.
Because of the difficulty in maintain
ing food relief payments and the de
cision of the coal owners to place
volunteer labor hi the mines, the execu
tive officers of the federation advised
the men to vote for the acceptance of
the compromise terms and return to
work. ;
Income Decreases
Mr. Davies said that since January
1 the total income from the 122 per
cent, levy imposed upon members of
the federation in work was £154£99.
Up to May 1 there bad been received
an average of £18,248 a fortnight, but
lately a serious falling off bad occurred,
and in the past fortnight the income
from the levy was £17,346.
Accounts paid to storekeepers for the
four months of the present year
amounted to £167,727, and £64£00 was
still owing to them.
Mr. Davies said that something
must have happened to the people who
sent the telegrams to the meeting held
in November, urging the men not to
Surrender and premising financial sup
port. Even unions which had been
contributing were reducing their pay
ments. To stabilise the finances, £7,000
a fortnight would be required from out
side sources, whereas the money re
ceived since the beginning of the year
averaged only £3,926 a fortnight. Theie
was a deficiency of £3,817 a fortnight on
the present rate of income.
Other Avenues Exhausted
Addressing the miners in Newcastle,
Mr. Davies said that the federation
had again brought up the question of
accepting the employers' terms because
all avenues of obtaining better terms
had been exhausted. Broken Hill
miners had accepted a reduction of 4/6
a week hi the adjustment of the cost
of living. He believed that Messrs. J.
and A. Brawn had 1.200 applications
for work in their collieries on . the
northern field.
If the miners agreed to return ,-bo
work on the owners' terms all volun
teer laborers must be dismissed from
the mines, all fines imposed on men
in recent prosecutions remitted, and!
all men serving sentences in prison re-!
leased. I
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