STRIKES CONDEMNED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 44, 1 December 1938, Page 5

STRIKES CONDEMNED.

ADVICE BY HON P. C. WEBB.

HARMFUL TO THE GOVERNMENT,

(Per Press Association.) WESTPORT, November 30,

The Hon. P. C. Webb delivered a special message to the “boys in the mines” last evening at a social gathering held by the Hector branch of the Labour Party. “Don’t get heated,” he said, “at trivial questions. Remember that every clay you go on strike it is recorded against the Labour Government.”

Mr Webb urged the Miners’ Union and all other unions not to take matters into their own hands when a dispute cropped up, but to carry on work under protest and allow the dispute to he put through the right channel. It was not right to strike. There undoubtedly were heartburns at some treatment, but they should not be allowed to get in the way of the work. Why stop work at these things? If miners have disputes, let the Federation deal with the matter. Going on strike did not help any union, he stated, and reflected on the Government.

Mr Webb said he had done his best during his term of office to assure a state of economy. He had clone his best to keep Australian coal out of the country in order to allow more working hours in New Zealand mines, and unless bis work for providing better and more work for the miners was recognised by the miners themselves, it showed that his efforts were not fully appreciated. If New Zealand could not produce bituminous coal that coal would have to come into the country from abroad. When the miners kept stopping on trivial questions in this district they were doing, themselves no good, the Government harm and were crippling the main industry of the place.