LITTLE CHILDREN BEING SENT TO SCHOOL WITHOUT ANY FOOD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19197, 10 October 1930, Page 11

LITTLE CHILDREN BEING SENT TO SCHOOL WITHOUT ANY FOOD.

Government Asked To Investigate . Conditions Existing At Millerton. Per Press Association. * AVELLINGTON, October 9. A STATE OF STARVATION exists in the mining township of Millerton, oil the West Coast, on account of the coal situation, according to statements made hy deputations from the Miners’ Union and others which waited on the Hon AV. A. Veitch, Minister of Railways, and the Hon A. J. Murdoch, Minister of Mines, to-day.

Speakers stated that the position at Millerton Avas desperate. Little children Avere being sent to school without food, and it was -understood there would be no work in the mine next Aveek. The Government was asked to send down to the district a representative of the Mines Department tq iiwestigate the position. Mr H. E. Holland, leader of the Labour Party, said it had been stated that the Westport Coal Company was stopping an amount of rent from the men’s wage during the short time period’. It Avas outrageous that such a company should do that. It should be the last concern to adopt that policy in view of the statement in one of its annual reports that its reser\-es were so great that if operations ceased to-mor-row it could refund every penny paid in by shareholders. He urged the Government to communicate with the company and insist that there should be no stoppages as far as rents Avere concerned until AVhges returned to normal. Mr i Holland said he Avas leaving for the district that evening and hoped to visit Millerton on Sunday. There was everything to be said in favour of a Government official going down. The popu-

lation was over 1000 and the position was desperate. The Minister said he would come to a quick decision on the question of sending a representative to the district and advise Mr Holland later. The difficulty in Millerton was disposal of the coal produced. The Government had communicated with the Westport Coal Company asking it to evolve some system by which the coal could be utilised and the men placed to better advantage than at present. No reply had yet been received. DEMONSTRATION TO BE HELD AT WESTPORT. (Special to the “ Star.”l WESTPORT, October 9. At a large meeting held at Millerton, it was decided to hold a monster demonstration in Westport on Monday to show that conditions in the mining centres,.especially Millerton, are extremely critical. All the Buller miners’ unions are to be asked to cooperate in the demonstration.