RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 January 1942, Page 3

RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS

STRIKE THREAT DENIED ■ CHRISTCHURCH, January 22. 1 An emphatic denial of reports which still are persisting, that holiday railway travel.was restricted because of a threatened strike of employees of the Railways Department, was given in an interview to-day, by tne Minister of Railways, Mr. Semple. He characterised these reports as “a cruel slander on a loyal body of men.” Mr. Semple added: “We know, when these rumours are broadcast, that they come from a treacherous few—not from the great bulk of the good .citizens of New Zealand.’’ Another report which the Minister also denied was that a shortage of coal stocks, was : an additional cause of the restrictions. .’ “To say that a strike was imminent at Christmas is an infamous untruth,’’ I declared Mr. Semple. “There is not a I vestige of truth in the rumours. The '.railwaymen have been lighting to get !the lower-grade men lilted. The men ■had a legitimate grievance and they [went the constitutional way about it. Their grievances have been recognised and they will be .rectified. 1 have ■never denied recognition of their

! grievances. When 1 became Minister [of Railways, 1 was approached by the , men’s representatives, and 1 frankly [confessed that they had a case, and 'that it would be sympathetically considered, and that an adjustment would ibe made when the finances of the !country permitted it. The Prime Min'ister has made the announcement that ■ the position will be adjusted.” i Mr. Semple said that there had not ■ been the faintest sign of a strike. 'From what he knew of the railwayImen, they would not dream of forcing a general strike on the nation at 'this critical time in its history. 'Ninety-nine per cent, of the men I working on the railways and in the • railway workshops wore honest loyal J New Zealanders.-A total of 4.000 men I were away fighting and the E.P.S. or- , |ganisations in the workshops were a i credit to New Zealand. At the Hutt land Addington shops, the men had ati tended on their days off to give an [inspiring demonstration of the E.P.S, 'and the'reception given him when he (spoke to them on the dangers facing [New Zealand could leave no doubt! [about their intense loyalty. A more 'intelligent, sensible, reliable and loyal I body of citizens could not be found (anywhere. I Mr. Semple said: “The curtailment of the traffic was designed to prevent ■ congestion 4n cities and on the railI way lines.” '

I Mr. Semple added: “When the Japjanese came into the war, we did not know what was going to happen, and we don’t know now! It was estimated that at Christmas time Auckland, for lone city, would have a population of 110,000 greater than in ordinary times. I The north is the most vulnerable spot lor an attack. Just imagine what 'would have happened had an attack 'come to Auckland with all of those | visitors! There is would have been one of the greatest calamities to overcome any city. If we had allowed that to happen, we would have deserved court martialling and shooting. - ’ Another stupid statement which had been circulated, he said, was that a shortage of coal was another reason why travel was restricted. The Minister said that coal was not in oversupply, but the coal question would not have stopped the Christmas traffic. It was certainly true that the Department wanted all the coal it could get, but ample stocks were available to meet any heavy traffic demands. The stock situation was watched from day to day.