SERIOUS VIEW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 156, 3 July 1940, Page 12

SERIOUS VIEW.

ACTION BY MINERS.

"BREACH OF REGULATIONS." HAMPERING OF WAR EFFORT. (By Telegraph.—-Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. In commenting on the strike at the three Stat* l coalmine* in the Kunauga district, the Prim..- Minister, the Hon. I*. Frai-er. i-aid that compliance with the law would he int-i>tc<l on by the (iovernment, even if this involved the closing' dotvn of tiie State mines. Mr. Fraser added that the Government took .1 very serious view of the action of th.' union which, on the facts -1 j>) 111 - t -r«-. J. \\ .i ~ ii"t only without jnsti-li.-.iti-"!. but actually grotesque, in >o far <i- [he men were oppo-ing the manasicment's efforts to suppress acts iif t>al»otage -.\inch were endangering the lives of -..in" of their members. •'The -trike is a breach of the Emergency Regulations and the Government i-annot ig tore the fa.t." said Mr. Kramer. "I; i- hard to believe that the majority of the men concerned in the stoppage reali-e the serious nature of the war situation, or how badly they are letting down the country in the time of it- peril. If they realise that, they are hampering New Zealand's efforts to help the United Kingdom and the people there. I am certain the stoppage would not last five minutes-."' "Unpatriotic and Unreasonable." "The facts have been carefully investigated.'" said the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, "and briefly they are these:—At the end of May a shift man and a deputy found clear evidence of sabotage. The matter was investigated by the mine manager, who found that a young trucker was primarily responsible. The man was dismissed on the grounds of sabotage and endangering the lives of the other miners.

"In the present case the executive of the union and the mine management could not rtgree," Mr. Webb continued, "The case was accordingly referred to Mr. J. O'Brien, M.P.. for a decision. The result of his investigation and subsequent decision was that the dismissal was justified. The Government considers that the action of the men at this time of national crisis is both unpatriotic and unreasonable, and it is not prepared to permit such action to impair and endanger the national war effort, and at the same time to cripple the ordinary economic life of the community." Agreement Between Parties. Mr. Webb further explained that some time ago it was agreed between the Department and the union that in any case where a miner was dismissed by the management work would continue without interruption pending an investigation by the executive of the union. In the event of the executive and the management of the mine failing to reach an agreement, it was decided that the case should be referred to Mr. O'Brien for consideration, and his ruling was to be final and binding on both parties. It was further agreed that in any case where it was found that the dismissal was unwarranted, the Department would re-employ the workman, and pay him for all time lost.