GRAVE DEVELOPMENT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 58, 9 March 1944, Page 5

GRAVE DEVELOPMENT

N.S.W. Coal Strikes Impairing

War Industries

PRIME MINISTER'S THREAT

CANBERRA, Mar. 8

Widespread unemployment, with a grave impairment of Australia's war effort, was possible if the coal strikes continued, said the Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtin, in the House of Representatives to-day.

Mr. Curtin said that many miners believed they had an advantage with Labour in office. "I warn them not to place too much reliance on that belief," he said, "for we place the safety of this country in a much higher category than any other consideration."

Mr. Curtin indicated his willingness to stand down from the Prime Ministership if necessary to ensure that coal was produced. A continued failure to produce the coal required would make him reflect very grievouslv upon his own personal capacity to be responsible for the Australian war effort.

Shouts of "We will not stand for that" and "Shame" broke out, particularly from the Labour benches whenever Mr. Curtin mentioned the possibility of his Prime Ministership being involved in the fuiure of coal. The coal situation will be discussed by the full Cabinet. The central council of the Miners' Federation to-day decided to order the striking New South Wales miners to return to work on Tuesday. The council also decided to ask the Federal Government to allow any miners called up for military service to return to the mines if they so desired. Another decision was to ask the Government to take over the control of all mines in New South Wales.