WESTFIELD DISPUTE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 9 April 1942, Page 4

WESTFIELD DISPUTE

SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION government action criticised The dispute at the Westfield freezing , works, which resulted in a number ol I workers oeing sentenced to imprisonment and shortly afterward released was the subject of the most anima .ed 'discussion yet heard at the present annual conference ol the New Zcalan i Labour Party in the Wellington To- n i Hall. When special leave was .1 anted to have the matter discussed, me dolei gate attacked the Government u r calling for volunteer workers and most '>f | the speakers, including th" !: evident of the Federation of Labour. Mr A McLagan, were to some extent critical of the Government’s actions. The Prime Minister. Mr Fi a?e: an i the Minister ot Labour. Mr Webb, wore j present during the discussion and \ ously detended the manner n v. Inc i the Government had handled the MUh'tion. The Prime Minister was cm * phalic that the major issue to-day was .the war effort, and said that the G"v- -■. ernn.ent would take the limit in ex - treme action to ensure that this w*s ] not obstructed by industrial disortiei. ] Mr Webb attached the blame lo a snrill section of union wreckers. Those re J | sponsible for taking direct actin'! had betrayed their own country and 1 1- 1 ‘ | soldiers, but the Government would not permit such betrayals added *’■* * t Fraser. While he wanted to work m co-ope • I. tion with the Federation of Laboui a d t he owed allegiance to the Labour Pari.' - he had sworn allegiance above that .to the people of the country, stated Mr

Fraser, and as long a;- lie was 1 rm '* Minister he would do what he i <• e\> i to be his duty. He had told the pc |*L before and he would repeat that ,; .e Government would not flinch in . ul > ing the laws in regard to indu.-Aiaa! stoppages Trades unions in Auckland were d - satisfied with the manner in which the Government had handled the disputi . said Mr Young. M.L.C. It was con sidered that if the Government hud | taken a stronger stand at first there could have been a settlement without I calling for volunteer labour. Criticism of the procedure adopted and allegations that the Government was icluc i ant lo take action against employe: s .were also made by Mr McLagan. Mr H. Baines, secretary of the Auckla d Waterside Workers’ Union, and M-* F. Craig, vice-president of the Auck- ' land Trades Council. “We have seen sections ol the trades | unions led by men who were never in a union till the Government made ff ; compulsory for them to come in.’ aid Mr Webb, who contended that a? a lesult of Labour administration harmony between employer and employ* <* Pin the freezing works was better than ever. “If you go along the way y<_ i 1 freezing workers are going up there. I you are full steam ahead lor a wreck not only of yourselves, but of the Gov , eminent, too The least we can expect is co-operation from our own peonl?. but no Government can hope to survive if you go on like this.” concluded the Minister "• Laboui