STRONG ACTION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 173, 24 July 1942, Page 6

STRONG ACTION

COAL SUPPLIES

MINISTER'S DEMANDS

If coal companies were not prepared to co-operate with the Government he would recommend that their mines should be taken over by the State for the duration of the war; and if miners would not work, they would be replaced by men who were now on active service.

This statement was made by the Minister of Mines, Mr. Webb, at a conference this afternoon which he had convened, and which was attended by coal mine owners and representatives of the Northern Miners' Union.

Mr. Webb informed the conference that the coal situation in New Zealand was undoubtedly bad. It was to overcome the production difficulties that were facing the country that he had called the conference. He pointed out that last September, when a similar conference was held, an undertaking was given by the miners' executive pledging the full support of their unions to the Government in its war effort to increase the production of coal. Production Increases For months past the industry in the Waikato had been free of industrial trouble. The men had worked hard and had produced during the last six months nearly 30,000 tons of coal more than for the first six months of the previous year. The figures for -that year had" been considerably in excess of the production figures for 1 DID. In the past three months production in the Waikato had increased by 115.000 tons. The influenza epidemic had been responsible for a great deal of absenteeism, the Minister explained, while many of the miners at present at work were in their advanced years and could not be expected to \vork full time. A number of them had been in receipt of age benefits under the Social Security Act, and when the call for more coal came they gave up their benefits and once more went into the mines. Mr. Webb repeated his statement of yesterday that the War Cabinet had decided to recall 300 men from the armed services, that being the number of men the industry had informed him were required. There had been over 1000 applications from the services for permission to return to the industry. No Malingerers No malingerers would be tolerated in the mines, said the Minister. The men had to work or get out and take their places in the armed services. "The men who will not work in the coal mines will have an opportunity of working in the army, replacing those who have made application to assist the industry," he emphasised. Specifically addressing the owners, the Minister said that in September last they had agreed to carry out a vigorous policy of building houses for the miners. He had pointed out on that occasion that the position this winter would be serious, and that the time for planning for this winter was at the conclusion of last winter. Had that policy been carried out there would have been no shortage of coal, because men would always work where there was decent housing accommodation and where other amenities were provided. "I think you have let the country down badly in your lack of initiative in not providing dwellings for the men at the mines," said Mr. Webb. At that time he had promised that if any of the companies were financially embarassed the Government would help them to provide the •homes. There could not be any excuse that they could not get labour or material, because he had consulted prominent builders who were prepared to contract for the building of 100 houses in the Huntly district and to have them ready for occupation last March. As far as he could ascertain only three or four houses had been built by the companies.

The Minister then made his statement that, if the companies were not prepared to give the Government their fullest co-operation in providing accommodation and facilities for the production of the maximum amount of coal, he would have no alternative but to recommend to Cabinet that the mines concerned should be taken over by the State for the duration of the war.

They would be worked by the Government, even if it meant military control. Coal was a vital munition, and should be available to all. It was too late in the day to consider profits or other conditions when 200,000 were out of industry.

The Minister concluded by saying that the Government was prepared to give the mine-owners full co-operation, and the men had pledged their co-operation. It remained now for all to get together with a view to producing the maximum amount.