Will Enforce Law Ruthlessly, Says Curtin

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 207, 1 September 1944, Page 5

Will Enforce Law Ruthlessly, Says Curtin

PINAL WARNING TO COAL MINERS Received Thursday, 11.40 pan. CANBERRA Aug. 31. Moving a vote of censure against the Government in the House of Representatives to-day the leader of the Opposition (Mr. Menzies) said it had adopted a policy of appeasement and surrender in the coal industry. Discipline, he said, was the only answer to the coal problem. “Strong words, threats, ultimatums, regulations and orders have all been treated as mere bluff by the miners,” said Mr. Menzies. “Whatever the cost in the immediate industrial trouble let us face it so that we can the sooner end it.” He urged the removal of the malcontents promptly and permanently. Mechanism of the mines was a first priority, then came a second shift for the industry; the bringing of new men into the industry, and prosecution lor absenteeism. Mr. Menzies said coal production tbis year was 3,000,000 tons less than the amount which could and should be produced. “No doubt 95 per cent, of the miners are decent patriotic citizens but they cannot he acquitted on the charge of lacking moral courage to suppress or ignore the militants.” “1 accepted this matter as the responsibility of the Government and I recognise that it is necessary that action he taken by the Government,” said Mr. Curtin in his reply. "The steps the Government has taken would have increased production had it not been for the strikers. The strikes have got to he stamped out. “The union will be destroyed if it cannot exercise discipline, and I accept also as logical that the Government will be destroyed unless it can also enforce discipline. The law we have passed in respect to coal mining will he enforced ruthlessly against those to whom it applies whether they belong to the miners or managers.”