STRIKE RUMOUR DENIED

Southland Times, Issue 24650, 23 January 1942, Page 6

STRIKE RUMOUR DENIED

CURTAILMENT OF TRAVELLING

MINISTER’S COMMENT

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 22. An emphatic denial to reports still persisting that holiday railway travel was restricted because of a threatened strike of employees of the Railways Department was given in an interview today by the Minister of Railways, the Hon. R. Semple. He characterized the reports as a cruel slander on a loyal body of men, and added: “W e know when these rumours are broadcast that they come from a treacherous few, not the great bulk of the good citizens of New Zealand.” . Another report which the Minister also denied was that a shortage of coal stocks was an additional cause of the restrictions. “To say that a strike was imminent at Christmas is an infamous untruth,” declared Mr Semple. There is not a vestige of truth in the rumours. The railwaymen have been fighting to get the lower paid men lifted. The men had a legitimate grievance and they went the constitutional way about it. Their grievances have been recognized and they will be rectified. I have never denied recognition of their grievances. When I became Minister of Railways I was approached by the men’s representatives and I frankly confessed that they had a case and that it would be sympathetically considered and that an adjustment would be made when the finances oi the country permitted it. The Prime Minister has made an announcement that the position will be adjusted. There had not been the faintest sign of a strike. From what he knew of the railwaymen they would not dream of forcing a general strike on the nation at a critical time in its history. Ninetynine per cent, of the men working on the railways and in the railway workshops were honest, loyal New Zealanders.

4000 MEN WITH FORCES

A total of 4000 men was away fighting, and the E.P.S. organizations in the workshops were a credit to New Zealand. At the Hutt and Addington shops the men had attended on their days off to give an inspiring demonstration of E.P.S. work and the reception given him when he spoke to them on the dangers facing New Zealand could leave no doubt about their intense loyalty. “The curtailment of traffic was designed to prevent congestion in the cities and on the railway lines, said Mr Semple. “When the Japanese came into the war we did not know what was going to happen, and we dont know now. It was estimated that at Christmas time Aucklahd, for one city, would have a population of 10,000 greater than in ordinary time. The north is the most vulnerable spot for attack. Just imagine what would have happened had an attack come to Auckland with all those visitors there. It would have been one of the greatest calamities to overcome any city. If we had allowed that to happen we would have deserved court martialling and shootstupid statement which had been circulating was that a shortage of coal was another reason why travel was restricted, the Minister said. Coal was not in over-supply, but the coal question would not , have stopped Chiistmas traffic. It was certainly true that the department wanted all the coal it could get, but ample were available to meet any heavy traffic demands. The stock situation was watched from day to day.