CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Evening Star, Issue 23831, 11 March 1941, Page 6

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

MR SEMPLE ON THE WORKSHOPS TROUBLE DO9R BARGED ON COHGIUATION ” HEN MUST TAKE WHAT IS GAMING TO THEM [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 10. Referring to the Woburn Railway Workshops suspensions to-day, Mr Semple said that thousands of, men were risking their lives today to fight for democracy, for the right of individuals to govern their own country. “We in New Zealand have the freest Constitution in the world,” he said. “ Every avenue is open for men with grievances or even alleged grievances to have the merits of their grievances discussed. These men have simply ignored that fact, and in the action taken they are helping the enemy, who is trying to destroy democracy. “We are not going to send thousands of our prime manhood overseas to fight for democracy,” the Minister said, “ and allow it to be destroyed in our own country behind their backs. These people have thrown down the gauntlet. We accept it as a challenge to the Government, and the next move is not our move. It is theirs.”

Mr Semple mentioned that at meetings lie had addressed at railway workshops in the South Island the men had passed resolutions unanimously expressing confidence in the Government and pledging themselves to help in the war effort. MUST PAY PENALTY. . “ I am convinced in my own mind that the trouble has not been caused by the great majority of the men, but by a handful of individuals who hold views contrax-y to the views of the average working man of this country, views that are tinged with foreign philosophy.” Mr Semple added that he did not wish to impose hardship on the rank and file. He wished to study their conditions, listen to their grievances, and put them right if it lay in his power to do so, and he was sure in this connection he would get the wholehearted support of the Prime Minister and the rest of the Cabinet. " I never had a chance to be a mate of the men at the Hutt Workshops or to reason with them,” he said. '* They banged and bolted the door of conciliation in my face. They have taken direct action at a time when the country, in common with the British Commonwealth, is fighting for its very life. Those responsible for this trouble will pay the penalty in due course.” A DEFINITE CHALLENGE. “ This is nothing more or less than a definite challenge to the Government,” Mr Semple said, when commenting later this afternoon on tbo decision of the men at Woburn to cease woi-k. The Minister expressed the opinion that the Wat Regulations had been violated and ignored. “ Their own union has been ignored, and they have chosen to take direct action and put a pistol to the head of the Government. It is now the turn of the Government to take action, and it will not take this lying down. _ “ The xvorkers have acted in opposition to the advice of their own officers, and in view of that they have got to take all that is coming to them,” the Minister added. 1,600 MEN AFFECTED • About 1,600 men are affected by the stoppage of work at the Hutt Workshops. It is understood that the action taken was not sanctioned by either of the national organisations of the men —the A.SJR.S. or the Railway Tradesmen’s Association—and that the men’s action was contrary to the advice of their national officers. A conforexxce among Messrs S. W. Gaspar (Dunedin) and L. M'llvride, president and general secretary respectively of the A.SJR.S., and W. Paul (Dunedin) and S. Ingram, president and secretai’y of the R.T.A., was held in Wellington to-day to discuss the dispute, and it was agreed that the executive councils of both organisations should meet in Wellington on Wednesday.

VERY SERI&US VIEW

BREACH OF WAR REGULATIONS (Pee United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 11. (Replying to a question as to whether ho proposed to invoke the Emergency War Regulations against the men who ceased work at Hutt Workshops, the Hon. R. Semple stated that ho had not yet discussed the matter with his colleagues. It was a question for Cabinet to decide.

Ho reiterated his opinion that a definite breach of the regulations had taken place,*and the matter was viewed very seriously by the Government.