SERIOUS VIEW

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21155, 3 July 1940, Page 10

SERIOUS VIEW

STRIKE AT MINES BREACH OF REGULATIONS DISMISSAL FOLLOWS SABOTAGE (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Tuesday “Compliance with the law will be insisted upon by the Government even if this involves the closing down of the State mines,” said the Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, when interviewed in connection with the strike at State coalmines in the South Island. “The Government,” Mr Fraser continued, “takes a very serious view of the action of the union which, on the facts submitted, is not only without justification, but actually grotesque, insofar as the men are opposing the management’s efforts to suppress acts of sabotage which were endangering the lives of some of their members.” Letting Down Country “The strike is a breach of the Emergency Regulations and the Government cannot ignore the fact,” the Prime Minister said. “It is hard to believed that the majority of the men concerned in the stoppage realise the serious nature of the war situation, or how badly they are letting down the country in the time of its peril. If they realise that they are hampering New Zealand’s efforts to help the United Kingdom and the people there, I am certain the stoppage would not last five minutes.” The circumstances leading to the strike were reviewed by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb. “The facts have been carefully investigated,” he said, “and briefly they are these: “At the end of May a shift man and a deputy found clear evidence of sabotage. The matter was investigated by the mine manager, who found that a young trucker was primarily responsible. The man was dismissed on the grounds of sabotage and endangering the lives of the other miners. Dismissal Held Justified “In the present case the executive of the union and the mine management could not agree,” Mr Webb continued. “The case was accordingly referred to Mr J. O’Brien, M.P, for a decision. The result of his investigation and subsequent decision was that the dismissal was justified. “The Government considers that the action of the men at this time of national crisis is both unpatriotic and unreasonable, and it is not prepared to permit such action to impair and endanger the national war effort, and at the same time to cripple the ordinary economic life of the community.” MINES STILL IDLE MASS UNION MEETING (By Telegrapn.—special to Times) GREYMOUTH, Tuesday More than 500 men at the three State coalmines in the Runanga district, the Liverpool, James and Strongman pits, were still on strike to-day. A mass meeting of the State Miners’ Union was held at Runanga this afternoon and it is considered unlikely that the mines will be worked to-morrow.