“Industrial Unrest Caused By Communist Influence”

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29240, 25 June 1960, Page 14

“Industrial Unrest Caused By Communist Influence”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 24.

New Zealand was having “another rash of strikes in the face of the rising strength of Communism here.” the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holyoake) claimed in the House of Representatives today.

“It was left to the National Government to throw out the wreckers and oust the Communists Communism is gaining strength under the present Labour Government." he said. “The majority of workers don't want to be dragged along as they are at present. The Government should govern or gel out.”

Mr Holyoake said the recent Kawerau dispute had cost £IBO.OOO in loss of production and there were lost wages on top of that.

The freezing dispute had resulted in ships not being loaded at a crucial time in the development of export trade. “It seems a Labour Government and industrial unrest go hand in hand.” Mr Holvoake said. Criticising the Government’s attitude to the coal industry. M' Holvoake said the Government’s nolicy seemed to be to go on mining coal whether it could sell it or not. The sale of coal to Japan would result in a loss of more than £1 a ton. “The Minister and his department are doing everything possible to stop private owners mining and selling coal. The Government is indulging in the most notable trade restriction I know of in New Zealand.” Mr Holyoake said. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Holloway) said New Zealand could have sold more coal to Japan at a good price, but Canada was heavily subsidising coal exports to Japan. Mr Hollowav denied there was major industrial unrest. “Corning to work this morning I thought People in the street looked happy, vigorous and well-clothed. There

was a feeling of vitality.” be said

Trade unionists knew Communists could never make progress while there was prosperity under a Labour Government. The Minister of Labour (Mr Hackett) strongly denied there had been a loss in loading for the sale overseas of Paparoa coal. The only alternative to selling the coal was to close the coal mines down, and pay the people there an unemployment benefit of. say. £8 10s a week to a married couple. Mr Hackett said the cost of loading one vessel had been about £493 and they had allowed £544 which gave a profit of £5O and on a second ship they had allowed £5OO and the cost had been £496 giving a profit of £4. There, was a total of 18.000 tons of coal which was likely to become a loss to the country. Instead they had recouped on the transaction more than they would if the coal had been sold in New Zealand. Quoting figures for labour disnutes. Mr Hackett claimed fewer working days had been lost under the Labour Government than under the previous National Government. He said that if settlement had not beer) reached in the recent freezing workers’ dispute it could have become an international matter, involving even 'he British Seamen's Union. Mr J. K. McAlpine (Opposition. Selwyn) said the Minister should have called a compulsory conference. “If he'd done that weeks ago, I don't think the outloading ban would have been put on.” Mr McAlpine accused the Government of giving no encouragement or assistance to co-operative and privately-owned mines on the West Coast. “These mines are working efficiently. The cost of coal is 10s a ton less from these mines than from State mines. But the Government has refused the mines permission to ship their coal in the same colliers as-State coal,” Mr McAlpine said.