"THE LOOMING CONFLICT"

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 41, 16 August 1918, Page 8

"THE LOOMING CONFLICT"

MR. SEMPLE OUTLINES THE

POSITION,

"ARGUE, NOT FIGHT."-

(Bt TELBOUAPH.—PESSS ASSOCIATION.)

WESTPORT, This Da,y.

In a statement made to the Westport Times to-day Mr. Semple said the coal miners of New Zealand had expressed ;m opinion by ballot, the purport of ■which he did not at present know. The result of the ballot would be made known to the general public in a fewdays' time. He had been right through the Dominion, and from what he had «!en,«and, from what he knew privately, he had not iihe slightest doubt but that the miners -would do the right thing.: : It had been asserted by the ,Coal Owners' Association that a small 'Coten.a.r.of. Union officials headed off matters in Wellington, but the ballot now"''taken' by the miners would show that the,ininer was quite prepared, and Tully qualified, to mind his own business. unions were composed of men-*who knew what they were talk-. Jug JSbouty,..,? ..■; I; ■ 5 J-frr Semple wanted it to be particularly ■ emphasised that no matter what Jhe 'result of \ the ballot the men would £tiir'"*be quite prepared to leave -the patter'in dispute open to the,public for settlement. He felt fully convinced, afler 15 years travelling among miners, $hat they were, solid on all matters they look fnhand ( >and in the matter of a conjerence they were solid almogt to at The miner sincerely at heart wishes the Cabinet .would do the right Jhing and avoid an industrial crisis. The &ry of the miner in the present time was :; "Argue."-instead of fight." .

■j The position was'now as he had stated at, and i' 6' devolved upon the Cabinet £nd other, authorities to dp all that humanly possible to avoid the conflict which was looming. !.