COAL MINERS’ STRIKE

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 11 June 1932, Page 4

COAL MINERS’ STRIKE

INTERVENTION NOT PLANNED ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT REPLY TO SUGGESTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.; WELLINGTON, June 10. “The Government has no intention at the moment of intervening in th« dispute betw r een the. coal mine owners and the miners, which has led to a national strike; the dispute is regarded as one between the employers and the employees.” This statement was made by the Minister of Mines, Mr. (J. E. Macmillan, in reply to a question.

Mr. Macmillan said that at the present time there was no reason for the Government to step in, although it was watching the position closely. He said the .Government w'ould not interfere unless forced to do so through the occurrence of unlawful acts, of which there was no sign at the moment, or unless there w r as a unanimous desire by both sides for the State to take part. The Minister released for publication the text of telegrams which passed between him and the Leader of the Labour Party. Mr. Holland in a telegram to the Minister said: “I strongly urge the Government to bring pressure to secure an unconditional conference between the mine owners and the miners. I feel confident that such a conference, if arranged, would result in an agreement under which the mines would continue working. The ow’ners’ action in insisting that the miners shall accept a drastic change in existing eonditoms in one important particular before a new agreement shall be discussed is wholly untenable and should not be permitted to lay the West Coast industry idle.” The Minister replied: “I am informed that the mine owners offered a conference on the West Coast, which was agreed to, but the unions ceased work before a date could be fixed. 1 suggest, therefore, that you move the unions on the Coast to resume \v oi k immediately.”