ACTION BY STATE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 66, 15 September 1942, Page 3

ACTION BY STATE

APPEAL FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT

Full support for the Government for all action it considers expedient to take to meet the situation brought about by the stoppage of Waikato coal supplies, even though it might involve further inconvenience and hardship, was asked for today by the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Sullivan) when commenting on the refusal of the miners to return to work. Mr. Sullivan said that the attitude of. the men in refusing in the present emergency to produce coal —a commodity vitally essential to the operation of the military and supply transport system—had exactly the same effect as the torpedoing of a New Zealand supply, ship by the Japanese on the high seas and the same reaction for the public as though the sinking of the vessel had been done by a New j Zealand bombing plane with a fifth! column crew. ! The capacity of New Zealand to fight the war, preserve the country against aggression and invasion, and to protect the people of New Zealand—men, women, and children —against Japan- j ese brutality was enfeebled by the action of an irresponsible minority, said Mr. Sullivan. That was the measure of the miners' responsibility. They were partially paralysing the railway system which carried supplies necessary for men who were fighting and dying in the Pacific for the defence of New Zealand and its people. The miners concerned had made the decision to do this thing not in ignorance or with their eyes shut. The whole truth was told them at their meeting yesterday morning. PUBLIC REACTION. "All New Zealanders throughout the length and breadth of our threatened homeland will know from what I have said that -what the Waikato miners are doing to them and will quickly find the only word which describes such conduct," continued Mr. Sullivan. "They have defied their own unions governing rules, their own miners executive, the Federation of Labour, and above all the Government of the country. They have disregarded the desperate need of the nation at war. "I therefore ask full support for the Government from all true New Zealanders —every responsible-mind-ed man and woman iii the nation— for all action the Government finds it necessary to take to meet the situation. The steps necessary may mean further deprivation, but the people will prefer to endure and suffer, if need be, to the extent necessary rather than surrender to either the internal or external aggressor, each of whom equally threatens the security of the nation."