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Hopes Of Pit
Rail Strike
Settlement
SYDNEY, Feb. 24.
The strike of South
Maitland railway officers
which is holding up sup- <*>
plies of Australia's best
gas-making coal, may end
tomorrow.
No coal could be moved from
17 mines in the Cessnock area
today because of the strike,
which has been caused by a
seniority dispute arising from
the appointment of a new sta
tionmaster at Cessnock.
A private company, the South
Maitland Railways Pty., Ltd,
owns the line from Cessnock to
Maitland.
After a compulsory con
ference today, Mr. Justice
Webb, of the Industrial Com
mission, anoemeed that offi
cials of the Officers' Associa
tion will recommend to mem
ber* that work be lesiuued.
The Commission ruled that it
would hear and determine the
question of the competency of
Mr. T. Owen for the position of
stationmaster at Cessnock pro
vided that the men resumed
work Immediately.
It was the refusal of the
South Maitland Hallways Pty.,
Ltd., to appoint Owen to the
post of stationmaster which
caused the strike on February
15.
They claimed that he was en
titled to the Job because of bis
seniority.
Men Ordered Back
Mines in the Cessnock field,
which produce more than 6,000
tons a day, were idle today be
cause of the strike.
The railway line from Cess
nock to Maitland is the only
outlet for coal from the district.
The position at the BHP
steelworks, where many depart
ments are closed down because
of straws at BHP collieries, may
improve tomorrow.
The Northern Board of
Management of the Miners'
Federation faas ordered back j
to *wt miners who have been
?n'stffkt lor two days at Bar
wood Colliery.
The stoppage has deprived the
BHP of fSooOtons of coaL
A BHP spokesman said today
that the company could not go
ahead with its programme for
reopening departments at the
steelworks until the mine re
sumed production.
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