COAL STOPPAGES

Grey River Argus, 27 March 1943, Page 2

COAL STOPPAGES

Australian Anxiety CANBERRA, March 26. Grave concern about repeated stoppages of work by coal miners has been expressed by Mr Curtin, the Prime Minister, in the Federal House of Representatives. Asked in the House of Representatives if he would make a statement on the coal situation and ind’cate what positive action he intended to take, 'the Prime Minister replied: “There is nothing the hon. gentleman can feel regarding the 'loss of coal due to stoppages that ought not to occur that I do not feel myself. I hope all miners will go back to work, and that if they do not requisite steps will be taken to see that they resume work.” Mr Curtin remarked that in the United States there were also stoppages of work. The problems appeared to be common to both countries. Coal mining required trained men. . Free labour was not obtainable for employment in coal mines, and would not be effective, even if obtainable. . , The miners’ leaders, in a conference with Federal Ministers, said they had made strenuous but unavailing efforts to keep all mines at work. They agreed that the war situation demandedd the utmost efort in coal production. A statement to the men by the miners’ leaders, appealing for the ending of the stoppages, said: “The whole fate of our union, as well as the fate of the Government and probably our people and the fighting forces, depends upon the continuance or ending of the present state of affairs.”