THE COAL MINERS' STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3050, 11 April 1917, Page 4

THE COAL MINERS' STRIKE

LATEST BULLETIN FROM WESTFORT. By Telegraph—Press Assooiatjon. . ■■ Westport, April 10.. It is not anticipated that there will be any work at tlio coal mines in the Buller district to-mbrfow, as "even" should the miners be willing to turn to it will take a day at least to make the preliminary preparations for the resumption of work. The discharging of cargo proceeded as usual at the waterside. SIR JAMES ALLEN'S STATEMENT. The Acting Prime .Minister (Sir James Allen), replying to an inquiry as to whether lie proposed to taie any action regarding the miners' strike, said that he intended to communicate with the men bp telegram. "I shall tell them', , ' he said 1 , "that the Admiralty wants coal for Admiralty purposes, and I shall ask them to supply it. I want to appeal 'to these "nien" on patriotic grounds to come back .to work to supply the- needs of the Admiralty and the needs of the country.' It is urgently necessary that coal should be available for the use of the Navy, for our own transports, and for • the ships of our mercantile marine which titke food supplies to the men at the front. I can't think of any stronger appeal that could he made to any human being than that. I note that the men are demanding Hie "re-' peal of the Military Service Act, but it does not seem to me that the Act oan be the reason of their present action. If they had such Btrong objections to the Act they liave had months in which to make their protest. In any case it seems to.me that their action is a. very wrong one, because the cutting off of supplies must jeopardise our chances of 'winning the war. Surely the first duty of every man now is to do bis best to help to finish the war.

"About the- 'go tactics, which are alleged to have been adopted, I do not wish to say anything. It is for the Court to say whether there has been any such thing'. But if it is true that the men have deliberately limited their output, then I say that the 'go slow' policy seems to_nie to be worse almost than tho total cessation of work. I can't help saying that I hope most'of tho men on reflection will see that they 'have taken up a wrong attitude."

Replying to a question as to whether the Government contemplated any immediate action against the men, Sir James Allen said: "We arc not out to make threats of sovere action. We are out to try to show them their grave responsibilities, and to ask them to got back to work."