The Hawera Star. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1925. A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 7 October 1925, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1925. A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Haw era, Maiinin, Normanby, Okainwa, Klllmm, Mangntoki, Kuponga, Alton, llurleyville, Pa tea, Waverley, Mnknia, Wiiakamira, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Hoad, and Am rata.

The whole country must regret exceedingly that the conference of parties to the shipping dispute, convened by the Prime -Minister, was not the means of bringing about a settlement of the existing trouble. But, the conference having failed in its object, Mr. Coates has not been slow to take the only course remaining open to him in his earnest desire to see the shipping services of the country restored to their normal condition. It would have been more satisfactory could the men and masters have settled their differences; but, settlement or no settlement, the country cannot afford to be cut off from its overseas markets, and no Government would have been worthy of the name-which allowed such a state of affairs to continue after the possibilities of amicable agreement had been exhausted. There is bound to be a great deal of rubbish talked about the Government taking up the cudgels against the workers and allying itself with the vested shipping interests; but the thinking citizen will see that such action as the Government proposes is being undertaken for the benefit not of one side or the other in the dispute, but of the country as a whole, aud particularly of the primary producers and those hundreds of others whose living traces back directly to the land. The Government is not going to man the ships; the young men of New Zealand will do that. The Government’s part is to see that those who do man the ships —ancl work the wharves if the trouble spreads—shall not be molested. That is one of the recognised functions of government—to protect the life anti property of citizens. The Prime ADnister is deserving of the thanks of the country for his efforts towards a settlement, and now for his assurance that volunteer crews will be protected. From the published statements of the men’s demands and the owners’ counterproposals, readers may form their own opinions as to the cause for the failure of the conference to agree. If this wore a little private squabble, involving no third party, it might well be ignored, but it threatens to paralyse the whole trade of the country- —and the country’s lenders are doing no more than their duty in taking steps to avert any such economic disaster. The position is childish in its simplicity. Produce is to be carried and the ships*to carry it are at our ports. Those men who have staffed the ships have their own reasons for leaving, but other men arc* available, and these the shipmasters propose to employ. The Government has no part in the contract at nil, and wit. have none so long as there is 7)0 tendency to a breach of the peace.