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Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 5, 23 February 1917, Page 3

GREYMOUTII, Tuesday. The Military Service Board delivered the following statement to-day in regard to the exemption of coal miners : —“These appeals were made on the ground that the men are essential to the welfare of the country, in the production of coal. It is on this ground and this ground only, that these appeals have been allowed. It now appears from evidence and from press reports, that there has been a material reduction in the output of the mines, and this seems to be the result of concerted action., Exemption to miners has taken the form of adjournment of appeals sine die, this being the only method for keeping them out of subsequent ballots. No conditions, other than that they remain in their present employment, have been imposed, in the adjournments already made, but the new development, in which exempted miners appear to be participating, makes it necessary for the Service Boards to impose additional conditions on any exemptions made. “ The condition that the board intends to impose is that the output must be kept up to normal. The board did not grant exemptions to find that the men deliberately reduced the output from the mines. Cases adjourned sine die may be called up for consideration by, boards when circumstances or a change in conditions warrant it. We therefore propose to adjourn all these cases until r.ext sitting, and call up for further consideration all cases already adjourned sine die. If it is found that this reduction in the output is continued, the board will reconsider the whole position and grant exemptions subject only to the condition that the output from the miues is kept up, and this condition must be observed without evasion of any kind. It will be considered an evasion if the miners take an unnecessary time off from work, or reduce their normal output during working time or follow a ‘go slow ’ policy.”