STATE MINERS’ STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 23620, 5 July 1940, Page 6

STATE MINERS’ STRIKE

FURTHER STATEMENT BY MINISTER EVERY APPEAL REJECTED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON. July 5. The declaration that ho had no intention of deviating from the stand he had taken over the dispute with the State Miners’ Union on the West Coast was made by the Hon. P. C. Webb. No negotiations have taken place between the miners and the Government since Tuesday afternoon. Tim Minister said ho was amazed at the statement by Mr English, president of the union, that “ I had broken a gentleman’s agreement in that he alleged I rushed to Press with a statement before the dispute was settled.” Mr Webb added that the dispute was already settled and the decision given before he made a statement. He wholeheartedly concurred with the decision, because it was in keeping with all the evidence ho had read.

The State miners decided to go pn strike, and turn down the earnest appeal of the Prime Minister to resume work, pending a further investigation, which Mr Fraser promised would be made in his own office. Mr Fraser also undertook to pay the expenses of the delegation to Wellington to place the matter before him, provided the miners resumed work. “ When this appeal was turned down.” said Mr Webb, 11 I had no alternative to stating the facts as supplied to me.” The Minister concluded by reiterating his belief that the State miners as a body could not concur with the tactics now being adopted, and appealed to them to resume work. THE UNION’S SIDE COULD BE SETTLED IN MINUTES MINISTER UNAWARE OF FACTS [Per United Press Association.] GREYMOUTH, July 5. “ If Mr Webb would interest himself sufficiently to find out the true facts of the case, instead of flying into the Press when he was not fully cognisant of the situation; he would find himself in a position to settle the whole wretched business in five minutes,” said Mr English, president of the State Miners’ Union, last evening. “ Boiled down, if he had any desire to be'fair at all he would have to acknowledge that it was Mr O’Brien’s ‘ yes-no ’ decision which left ns all in the air in a sense of speaking, and you can take it from me that this is really the cause of the trouble.” Mr O’Brien’s last word in his written decision discussed the question of reinstatement of the dismissed trucker, Mr English said. Mr O’Brien concluded* “ This I feel safe in morhmendihg, that he be reinstated and be separated from the other truckers and kept under surveillance.” ■ v Mr English said he wished to mate the position most emphatically clear by again drawing attention to the statement in Mr O’Brien’s written decision —“ I feel safe in recommending that he be reinstated.” Mr English added: “We resent imputations that we are in any way standing for sabotage in the mines. That is not our ideal or ambition. The union would be the first to take action, and itself would dismiss . anyone found clearly guilty of sabotage, but if Mr O’Brien makes the dismissed trucker guilty, why should he say that he considers himself safe in recommending that the management reinstate him?”