STRIKE SENTENCES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 230, 29 September 1942, Page 4

STRIKE SENTENCES

SUSPENDED

STATE DECISION

STRICT CONDITIONS

WKI.MMJTON. this day

The -procure.-, of ouc month's mi-pn.-onment on thr is 2 I'ukcmuo miner.-. i- tip he suspended un strict ' ondll inn.- Thi.-. w .iannounced to'kv l».\ the lYnnr MiniMer. Mr Frn.spr The (i(>\ ci nur-( ;> nu: ;il. Sir Cyril \pwrill. in the p\en ise of his powers. renin-; the spntcncps subject to the follow mg conditions:—

(I) That such persons will forthwith resume his former employment and diligently follow the same.

(-) Tlial Cor the duration of the pres. rnt war with (iei'many and Japan he will abstain from taking part in any further strike within the in caning of clause 2 ol the Strike and Lockout KmcrSency Regulations,

(•1) Tli.it for liii' duration of such war lie will not eneourage any other person to take part in any such •strike atYeeting any industry essential to the public welfare.

The announcement under the hand "f the Governor-General concludes:— "That nn any breach of any of the said conditions this remission shall bprnnip void and of none effect, and thereupon the sentences of imprisonment imposed as aforesaid shall forthwith he served."

"Tragic Calamity"

"'The VV'aikato coal mine dispute has caused the Government grave concern during the 'past, three weeks," said the Prime Minister today. "In these times a strike is a serious arid disastrous matter. During this period of war with the enemy threatening our shores, being held back in fact in the Solomons and New Guinea, with the menace to our country and our people by no means removed, a stoppage of work in such an essential industry and on such a scale wa"; a tragic calamity, weakening our war effort and endangering dur defence.

"It is therefore gratifying that even alter a most regrettable delay the commonsense of the men concerned reasserted itself so definitely as it. did last. Friday the ballot decision to resume work and submit the matter originally in dispute to the appropriate disputes committee as the Minister of Labour, on behalf of the Government, had instructed at the commencement of the trouble

IndiiHtr.v Paralysed

"It was obvious to everyone that if the strike had continued not only the railways and shipping already reduced by military needs to well below the country's requirements would have had to be further curtailed, but alho that dairy factories, freezing works and fertiliser works and cement needs and many other works, directly engaged in war work would have been closed down or seriously curtailed in their operations, while it would have been necessary to have drastically rationed gas anrl electricity.

"The resumption of work in the Waikato mines has prevented an industrial catastrophe of great magnitude which would directly and disastrously affect our war effort, and the Government's policy to this end has been successful."

Commenting upon the Government's decision conditionally suspending the sentences, the Prime Minister said the course now being followed was essential, having regard to the requirements of the war situation and the most urgent need for conserving coal and transport to move supplies to the theatres of war in the Pacific and to keep the war industries functioning. The attitude of the miners during recent weeks and prior to their decision to return to work amounted to a tragedy because of its paralysing affect oh the war industries arid on transport. Court's Patience Mr. Fraser added that the utmost effort had been made by the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, to prevent the development of the strike; and later the magistrate, Mr. Freeman, with wonderful patience, tact and ability, had striven to so shape the course of events, that on the one hand the law would be upheld and on the other coal production woidd he immediately resumed to meet the urgent national need, which was by far the most important, end to be achieved. It was only after the failure to achieve that most important purpose that the magistrate was left with no alternative hut to pronounce sentence. It was a fair assumption that had the men, prior to the sentence being imposed, been willing to return to work under definite conditions this would have been satisfactory to the Court.

LEGAL POSITION

PENALTIES FOR A BREACH (0.C.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Vgal position is that any further breach of the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations will not only involve operation of the suspended sentence but also penalties for a second offence.

It is understood that arrangements are being made for the executive of the Coal Mine Owners' Association and representatives of the Waikato companies to meet the Prime Minister and the Minister of Mines this week for the purpose of discussing the operation of the Waikato mines as a controlled industry under the War Regulations.